Hunt for the melon felons: Police launch search for two women after worst drug smuggling attempt EVER

As sophisticated drug smuggling attempts go, it was a bit fruity.

Police are on the hunt for two women who tried to smuggle drugs into a prison using a hollowed-out melon.

Eagle-eyed officers realised something was amiss when they noticed the top of the cantaloupe appeared to have been cut out.They removed the top - and found tobacco and a bag full of Oxycodone pills, a powerful painkiller, stuffed inside.

The cantaloupe was left at a drop-off point at the Chelan County Regional Justice Centre in Washington.

Jail administrator Phil Stanley said there was a noticeable cut around the top of the fruit.

Officials were alerted to the smuggling attempt after a surveillance camera showed two women dropping of a shopping bag, containing the melon, at the prison.
The women left the bag at a drop-off point where local grocery stores donated surplus food.

Mr Stanley said it wasn't the first time people had attempted to use food to smuggle contraband into the prison, which houses about 300 inmates and is a tobacco-free institution.

Wenatchee Police Department investigators are now searching for the women involved.

Prison officials noticed a visible cut around the top of the melon before discovering the contraband inside

Bad fruit: A hollowed out cantaloupe containing painkillers and tobacco was intercepted at a Washington jail

The melon contained tobacco, rolling papers and a bag of Oxycodone pills