What started as a routine traffic stop in Catoosa, Oklahoma quickly turned into something straight out of a crime drama—with a fast food twist.
On the morning of September 18, 2023, Catoosa Police officers pulled over a vehicle for a couple of seemingly minor infractions: the driver had failed to stop at a traffic light and was also driving with a cracked windshield. A typical citation, perhaps a warning. But things escalated quickly when officers approached the car and smelled the distinct odor of marijuana.
Enter K9 Major Melton—an integral part of the Catoosa Police Department’s narcotics team. With his sharp nose and focused training, Major zeroed in on something suspicious. What he found left even seasoned officers surprised: a coin purse containing methamphetamine, carefully hidden inside a McDonald’s sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich.
Yes, you read that right. Meth, tucked between layers of eggs and sausage.
Further search of the vehicle revealed more meth, marijuana, and a sizeable amount of cash. The driver, identified as Mitchell Raper, was arrested and taken into custody. Officers believe the concealment technique—hiding narcotics in food—was an attempt to outsmart law enforcement. It didn’t work.
“This is definitely a first for us,” said Captain Jennifer Swarer of the Catoosa Police Department. “We’ve seen drugs hidden in shoes, gas tanks, even inside body panels—but a breakfast sandwich? That’s new.”
While the story might sound bizarre, it highlights the real and persistent challenge law enforcement faces when it comes to drug trafficking and creative concealment methods. It also underscores the vital role police K9 units play in keeping communities safe. Without K9 Major Melton and the instincts of his handler, Corporal Noah Lethermon, this traffic stop could have ended very differently.
So next time you’re unwrapping your McMuffin, you probably won’t find anything illegal inside—but thanks to diligent policing, someone else’s fast food crime didn’t make it to the streets.
Stay alert, stay safe, and maybe skip the side of meth with your breakfast.
Mitchell was sentenced to a term of 7 years with all but the first 3 years suspended.
