Western Australian Police found what they described as a "shock discovery" when a bag of methamphetamine was allegedly found hidden inside a McMuffin during a traffic stop in Broome. The incident occurred on August 20 when officers pulled over a 39-year-old driver on Salleh Street in Cable Beach.
The driver had reportedly been observed leaving a house under police surveillance as part of an ongoing investigation into illicit drugs in the area. Police conducted a search of the vehicle and its occupants. Senior Constable Ben Lucas told the WA Police Confidential podcast that officers found a cold, discarded McMuffin at the bottom of a takeaway bag on the rear floor of the vehicle.
"That obviously drew our attention," Lucas said. Body-cam footage showed an officer searching through a takeaway bag, removing chips before finding the McMuffin. The breakfast item, which had already been bitten into, allegedly contained a clip-seal bag with approximately three and a half grams of methamphetamine.
"It caught us all by surprise," Lucas added, describing it as one of the most unusual places he had found drugs. Detective Senior Sergeant Trisha Stjepic stated that this was the first instance of drugs being allegedly concealed within a fast-food item during her experience.
"When you're conducting searches under the Misuse of Drugs Acts, you obviously have to search the whole vehicle. At times it can be awkward searching through people's food, but unfortunately that's part of the job," Stjepic said.
The 39-year-old Derby man was arrested and charged with possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply. He is scheduled to appear in court on September 9. A woman who was also in the vehicle was questioned but later released.