Russian Prison Cat Caught Smuggling Drugs Into Correctional Colony in Nizhny Novgorod

• Guards at a Russian correctional facility intercepted a cat fitted with two homemade fabric collars on Tuesday, 21 July
• Sniffer dogs flagged the animal before it entered Correctional Colony No. 17 in the Nizhny Novgorod region
• The Federal Penitentiary Service confirmed narcotics were hidden inside the collars and the cat was released unharmed

A cat became the unlikeliest suspect in a drug smuggling operation at a Russian prison this week, leaving authorities stunned and the internet in stitches. Officers at Correctional Colony No. 17 in the Nizhny Novgorod region, western Russia, stopped the feline before it could enter the facility on Tuesday, 21 July.

A handler and sniffer dog raised the alarm after detecting something suspicious on the animal. On closer inspection, staff found two handmade fabric collars strapped to the cat. Both contained prohibited substances, which were confirmed as narcotics and immediately confiscated.

Russia's feline drug mule is not the first

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The Russian Federal Penitentiary Service shared the incident on Telegram, writing:

"Criminals used a cat to deliver narcotics to Correctional Colony No. 17. The staff of the correctional facility found two homemade fabric collars with prohibited substances on the animal. The moustachioed courier had to sneak in and deliver the illegal package to the convicts. But vigilant officers prevented the attempt to transfer narcotics."

Authorities did not name the people behind the smuggling attempt or specify what type of drugs were recovered. This is not the first time a cat has been used as a prison courier. In May 2025, officers at Pococí Penitentiary in Costa Rica caught a cat carrying 67.76g of heroin taped to its body. A guard spotted the animal in the prison's green zone and raised the alarm on 6 May 2025.

Watch the TikTok video below:

Online reactions to the catnapped courier

The story shared by the page @nbcnews spread fast online, with commenters unable to resist:

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Annie! At the disco commented:

"Put a tracker on it and see where it goes."

14EN02 added:

"Free el meow meow."

Ðavë wrote:

"Dogs work for the police while cats work for smugglers"

Mel said:

"Bro a member of the Russian cat-el."

Auntie Amy wondered:

"They had to use a cat because dogs are narcs."

Joe said:

"Free my man, he did nothing wrong."

Bonlon asked:

"Are you kitten me?"

3 Other Briefly News stories about drugs

• Letoya Makhene's family enlisted anti-drug activist Mr Moloto to help convince her sister, Gontse, to enter the LADGAC Rehabilitation Centre.
• SAPS officers arrested two foreign nationals, aged 34 and 42, on drug possession and dealing charges following actionable intelligence.
• Police arrested a Nigerian national in Lamontville after allegedly finding him in possession of cocaine during a targeted operation.

Source: Briefly News