Cocaine Found In Toy From Southland Vending Machine: Police

BELL GARDENS, CA — A mother and her young son got a terrible surprise when a toy they purchased from a Bell Gardens restaurant vending machine turned out to contain cocaine, police said Tuesday.

The toy — a putty ball contained in a plastic container — was purchased Monday from a gumball-type machine at Taqueria Los Altos at 6939 Eastern Ave., according to Bell Gardens police Detective Miguel Torres.

"While her son was playing with the putty ball toy, it ruptured and a white powdery substance came out," Torres said, adding that the mother then called police.

The white powder tested positive for cocaine and a total of 136 grams of the drug were removed and recovered, according to the detective.

A phone number on the vending machine was linked to a company called Snack Time Vending, Torres said.

"If any local businesses are using this company's toy/candy vending machines, please contact us immediately and remove them from public access," Torres said.

— City News Service, photo courtesy of the Bell Gardens PD