Police believe drugs were intentionally hidden in dolls at Independence store
After recovering five Barbie dolls from a local discount store believed to be contaminated with an illegal substance, police say they believe the drug was purposefully placed in the toys’ packaging.
In a social media post Saturday, the Independence Police Department said investigators were initially contacted just before 10:30 a.m. by employees at Cargo Largo, 3232 South Nolan Road, regarding a “suspicious powder substance” found in the packaging of a Barbie doll.
While an initial field test indicated the substance was fentanyl, further testing determined the substance was cocaine with “trace amounts of fentanyl,” Cargo Largo said in a Facebook post Tuesday.
The Independence Police Department did not respond to a request Tuesday for confirmation regarding the identity of the drug , instead referring The Star to the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
The Jackson County Drug Task Force was not immediately available for comment.
The dolls themselves were not contaminated with the drug, according to investigators, but the substance was found taped inside the back of the toy’s packaging.
Officer Bryan Conley, a spokesperson for the Independence Police Department, said in an email to The Star Monday that investigators were able to trace the specific bundle the dolls came from, and were subsequently able to confirm that only five of the potentially-contaminated toys were sold.
Investigators recovered the last doll at approximately 5:10 p.m. Saturday, Conley said.
According to Conley, investigators believe the substance was intentionally hidden inside the dolls’ packaging.
“Hiding narcotics in everyday items is a common tactic used by drug cartels to import their narcotics to America,” Conley said.
Cargo Largo has identified where the toys came from, and has “shared all information with local and national authorities,” the Facebook post said.
On Monday, a K-9 unit from the Independence Police Department conducted a sweep of the store and its warehouse, where it didn’t discover any further substances, according to the post. The K-9 unit will train “regularly” in Cargo Largo’s buildings moving forward.
The discount store previously said it will hold regular inspections at both of its facilities. Cargo Largo was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.
