Pet raccoon found with meth pipe during Ohio traffic stop leads to drug bust

Ohio police discovered drugs after finding a pet raccoon with a meth pipe during a traffic stop on May 5.

A routine traffic stop in Springfield Township, Ohio, took a bizarre turn on May 5 when police discovered a pet raccoon sitting in the driver’s seat holding a meth pipe. The encounter ultimately led officers to uncover significant quantities of illegal drugs inside the vehicle. The incident was detailed in a Facebook post by the Springfield Township Police Department, who described it as a “strange encounter on patrol.”

A raccoon trying to smoke a meth pipe during a vehicle search in Springfield Township, Ohio. 🤦🏻‍♂️

This video seems so Ohio. pic.twitter.com/WtWqTwonGF

— Steve 🇺🇸 (@SteveLovesAmmo) May 7, 2025

The stop was initiated after officers identified a vehicle whose registered owner had a suspended license and an active warrant. The driver, 55-year-old Victoria Vida, was detained without resistance. During the process, an officer spotted the raccoon—named Chewy—with a meth pipe in its mouth, prompting a more thorough search of the vehicle.

That search resulted in the discovery of bulk methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and three used meth pipes. Police also released bodycam footage of the incident, which quickly gained attention online.

According to the department, the raccoon was unharmed. Authorities were contacted to determine whether Vida possessed the proper documentation to legally own the animal. The department has not confirmed the outcome of that inquiry.

I dead ass can’t even make this up 🤣🤣 this a suburb outside my city. And this lady got arrested when they pulled her over and her pet raccoon had her meth pipe in her mouth 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 the dash cam video is even wilder 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/OY3xzIU8rF

— SlightlyToxic69 (@SlightlyToxic69) May 6, 2025

Social media users reacted with a mix of humour and concern. While some joked that Chewy might be the “ringleader” of the operation, others expressed sympathy for the animal’s well-being. “Not even funny. That poor raccoon,” one user commented, reflecting the divided public response.