A one-year-old marmoset monkey was discovered in a car during a police search. The vehicle was stopped outside HMP Moorlands in Doncaster, and a quantity of Class A drugs, believed to be crack cocaine, was recovered from it. Contradictory arrest details and locations have created confusion about the incident.
Two women in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs and taken into custody. Alternatively, Cumbria Police reported that the vehicle was stopped on the M6 at around 18:30 on Wednesday 8th April, with the driver, a man, arrested on suspicion of driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition and drug driving, and the passenger arrested on suspicion of illegal possession of a primate. The monkey was safely removed from the vehicle and taken to an RSPCA sanctuary.
It is likely to be moved to Monkey World in Dorset for ongoing care, with the rescue to Monkey World likely to happen next week. The discovery was made as part of Operation Gartley, a regular initiative where police work with His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service to search visitors to Doncaster prisons. The monkey is believed to be a pet, but ownership details remain unclear.
The RSPCA is carrying out further inquiries into how the monkey came to be in the car. Current unknowns include the monkey's health status, the exact quantity of drugs recovered, and the legal outcomes for the arrested individuals. Broader context reveals that government figures estimate there are between 3,000 and 5,000 primates kept in homes in the UK.
Future implications include new legislation that, from 6 April 2026, will require all private keepers of primates in England to obtain a specialist primate licence from their local authority. The incident highlights the challenges of enforcing wildlife protection laws amid ongoing drug-related activities. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the monkey's presence in the vehicle and the drug recovery.
The rescue operation underscores the importance of specialized care for exotic animals found in inappropriate settings. Public awareness about the legal requirements for keeping primates is expected to increase as the 2026 licensing deadline approaches.