'Roar!' Mexican Police Surprised After Opening Trunk During Traffic Stop

Baby Tiger... Firearms and Ammunition Also Found

A couple transporting a baby tiger along with firearms in the trunk of their vehicle was caught by police in Mexico.

According to Mexican media on the 28th (local time), police chased a vehicle that violated traffic laws on Highway 200 in El Marques, Quer?taro, the previous day. The fleeing vehicle was soon caught, and a baby tiger was found in the trunk. The baby tiger appeared calm, like a kitten.

Police taking a baby tiger out of a couple's car trunk in Mexico. Photo by El Marques Police Twitter capture

The police arrested the couple driving the vehicle on charges including obstruction of official duties, and also discovered four firearms and 98 rounds of ammunition in the trunk. A video released on the official Twitter account of the El Marques police showed the tiger wearing a leash like a puppy while being transported in the vehicle.

The police sent the baby tiger to experts for care while investigating the couple regarding the circumstances of transporting the firearms and the tiger. In Mexico, it is not completely illegal to keep animals such as tigers and lions as pets, as long as official documents verifying ownership and breeding-related certificates can be provided.

However, the ownership procedures are complicated, leading to many cases of smuggling, and there are also numerous instances where authorities catch people failing to comply with strict safety regulations. In fact, in 2019, a resident in Mexico City kept three lions on their rooftop like pets, but after neighbors were alarmed by the fierce roaring and filed complaints, the lions were relocated.

In 2020, a Mexico City citizen was criticized online after taking a baby tiger on a leash for a walk in a shopping mall. In Guadalajara, Jalisco, there was also an incident where a large tiger kept by a resident roamed the streets outside the house, causing a commotion.

Such exotic pets are also frequently spotted in the residences of drug gang members. Last year, during a shootout between a gang member and police in Texcaltitl?n, State of Mexico, a monkey wearing a bulletproof vest was found dead, drawing public attention.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.