Texas Game Wardens and investigators with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office seized drugs, drug paraphernalia, money, and a three-foot crocodylian reptile called a Caiman from a Kilgore residence on January 21.
According to a Rusk County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post, police received a tip via Crime Stoppers alleging the distribution of controlled substances and the illegal possession of an alligator.
This prompted them to obtain a controlled substance search warrant for the residence at 509 Leach Street.
While executing the search warrant, investigators seized approximately one pound of a substance thought to be marijuana, a quarter pound of psilocybin (also known as “magic mushrooms” or “shrooms”), suspected THC-infused edibles, THC “vape” cartridges, firearms, U.S. money, and a white powder that tested positive in the field for the presence of PCP (a hallucinogenic drug called phencyclidine sometimes referred to as “Angel dust”).
Investigators additionally discovered a three-foot reptile belonging to the same scientific family as the alligator, called a Caiman.
44-year-old Jason Best was arrested and charged with four controlled-substance felony offenses.
The City of Kilgore Animal Control planned to relocate the reptile to a Dallas wildlife rescue organization called Nature’s Edge.
