California Police Discover Spider Monkey in Rolls Royce During DUI Stop
California police were in for a surprise when they pulled over a Rolls Royce suspected of driving under the influence (DUI) and discovered a dealer’s amount of weed and a spider monkey in the front seat. The driver, Ali Mused Adel Mohamed, 27, was arrested and charged with DUI and possession of cannabis for sale.
The exotic pet, a 1-month-old male spider monkey, was wearing a pink onesie and was attached to Mohamed’s person. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) took the monkey into custody due to California’s rule against owning primates as pets. Spider monkeys are illegal to possess in California and are listed as an endangered species.
The monkey was taken to the Madera Animal Shelter, where it was fed mushed bananas and even learned to feed itself with two separate spoons. However, the shelter is not equipped to care for the monkey, and it was eventually taken into custody by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The primate will be transported to the Oakland Zoo.
Mohamed was also booked into Madera County Jail on several charges, including possession of an exotic animal. The police confiscated bags of cannabis buds, a bag of money, and several phones from the Rolls Royce.
This incident is not the first time a spider monkey has been found in a car in California. In November, a Dallas police officer confiscated a 3-year-old spider monkey named Jorgie Boy from its owner, who was charged with driving under the influence after a car crash. The monkey was found to be malnourished and suffering from fractured bones.