Mother Horrified to Find Cocaine Inside Toy From Restaurant's Vending Machine

Some Bell Gardens, Calif., restaurant patrons got a bit more than their 50 cents worth.

A California mom was horrified this week after a plastic ball purchased for her child from a restaurant gumball-type machine was found to be full of cocaine.

Cops in Bell Gardens say a mother bought the squishy smiley-face ball for the boy from a taqueria Monday night. 

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“While her son was playing with the putty-ball toy, it ruptured and a white powdery substance came out,” Bell Gardens police Detective Miguel Torres told KCBS.

Cops showed up with drug testing supplies and the mother's worst fears were confirmed: What looked like a simple, innocuous toy was full of the potentially dangerous drug.

Investigators said the toy and drugs combined weighed a total of nearly 5 ounces, which is no small amount of cocaine, according to detectives.

Detectives are not sure whether the incident is a one-time thing, but don't believe the restaurant is involved in any sort of drug trade.

"We contracted with this company for the past couple years, but no way are we affiliated with this company," restaurant spokesman Alfredo Sanchez said. "We only lease the location to the company."

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Investigators also said that Snack Time Vending, which owns the machine, is not involved.

However, the machine has been removed from the restaurant and police are warning parents who may have purchased one of the balls of the potential danger.

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