Alligator found guarding Calif. marijuana stash

[andrew8798]

CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Authorities in Northern California made a snappy discovery during a routine probation check: An alligator named "Mr. Teeth" who was apparently protecting a stash of marijuana.

When Alameda County Sheriff's deputies on Wednesday entered Assif Mayar's home in Castro Valley for a probation check, they not only found 34 pounds of marijuana valued at an estimated $100,000, but also the 5-foot-long gator inside a Plexiglas tank guarding it in a bedroom.

"We get guard dogs all of the time when we search for grow houses and people stashing away all types of dope. But alligators? You just don't see that every day," Sgt. J.D. Nelson told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Mr. Teeth was likely used to deter marijuana thieves, Nelson said. Mayar, 32, told deputies he got the gator to commemorate rapper Tupac Shakur's 1996 death.

"We have come across alligators before, but nobody can remember one this big and situated in such close proximity to act sort of as a sentry to the marijuana," Nelson said.

Mayar, who is on probation after pleading guilty last year to disturbing the peace, was arrested and was taken to the county jail on suspicion of possessing marijuana for sale. He could also face citations from the California Fish and Game Commission, including possession of an exotic animal without a permit.

Alameda County animal control officers eventually took Mr. Teeth to the Oakland Zoo. Officials there said the gator was very sick and was being treated at the zoo's veterinary hospital.

[Deleted]

I feel bad that the poor alligator was sick.

That said, I want to party with the guy who decided, "f*** it, Imma gonna buy an alligator, have it guard my weed. And Imma name it Mr. Teeth cause he got some damn teeth. It'll be for Tupac cause I miss him."

[Johnny B. Decent]

If it wasn't up in Canada, I could have seen the Trailer Park Boys trying this.

[Throwback]

Jan 10, 2013 23:44:48 GMT -5 Johnny B. Decent said:

If it wasn't up in Canada, I could have seen the Trailer Park Boys trying this.

We use bears up here

[mcmahonfan85]

your news is a bit old. it was on either CNN.com or NBCnews.com earlier today that Mr. Teeth died

[Deleted]

Mister Teeth: A poem

He raised that alligator to guard his weed,
Wanted a dragon with all that smoke.
Sentry, deterrent,
The reptile lurked in a $100,000 swamp.
Pitbulls are warm blooded, handguns jam, but
Mister Teeth darts and rolls inside a
plexiglass tank, a monster
bigger than the biggest ever seen.
He bought that alligator because of Tupac.
It seemed a thing to do.
California knows how to party with its alligators.

[King Ghidorah]

34 pounds of weed is not worth 100k, not even at street value. They trying to throw the book at him.

[G✇JI☈A]

Well I hope they make a SNAPPY conviction...


I will see myself out.

[Mozenrath]

He should have saw to it that the crocodilian recieved proper medical attention.

You know, gator aid.

[G✇JI☈A]

If somehow the gator ends up being convicted and going to jail.... Here is what they will play as Mr Teeth is lead out of the courtroom:

[Banecat]

I live in Florida. If I had my own pot field, I too would use a guard alligator.

[Magnus the Magnificent]

Now, I may not know much about alligator training, but doesn't it seem likely it would try to bite the owner's hand too when he went to retrieve the grass from the tank?

[Hawk Hart]

Jan 11, 2013 11:47:33 GMT -5 Magnus the Magnificent said:

Now, I may not know much about alligator training, but doesn't it seem likely it would try to bite the owner's hand too when he went to retrieve the grass from the tank?

You can't apply sober person thinking here.

[the2ndevil]

Jan 11, 2013 5:44:43 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

He should have saw to it that the crocodilian recieved proper medical attention.

You know, gator aid.

Should I feel bad for laughing at this?