What happened in the Houston Police Department's evidence room?

A significant rat infestation occurred in the Houston PD narcotics evidence vault, potentially compromising thousands of pounds of drug evidence.

How many cases were affected by the Houston rat infestation?

Defense attorneys in 3,600 active cases were notified due to the potential compromise of evidence by rats.

What is Houston PD doing about the rat problem?

HPD has implemented corrective measures and conducted drug burns to reduce stored materials, assuring no ongoing issues.

Home / Crime and Justice / Houston Police Ratgeddon: Drugs and Vermin Collide

Houston Police Ratgeddon: Drugs and Vermin Collide

13 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Rats infested Houston Police Department's narcotics evidence vault.
Thousands of pounds of drug evidence, some dating to 1984, were potentially compromised.
Defense attorneys were notified in 3,600 active cases due to possible evidence contamination.

Houston Police Ratgeddon: Drugs and Vermin Collide

Newly released materials offer a detailed look into a significant rat infestation that plagued the Houston Police Department's narcotics evidence room. The infestation, which surfaced in late October 2024, saw rats compromising a vast quantity of drug evidence stored on the 25th floor of police headquarters. Internal emails and images depict rodents, some described as "huge," disturbing evidence, creating a problem that potentially impacted thousands of pounds of seized narcotics.