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R.I. officers conducting search warrant run into alligator

RICHMOND, R.I. — Police executing a search warrant at a Rhode Island business ran into an unexpected guest — a five-foot alligator named "Gucci."

Officers had been executing a search-and-seizure warrant June 8 at Richmond smoke shop Pass the Glass when they discovered the animal on the second floor.

Richmond Police Chief Elwood Johnson tells the Westerly Sun the alligator lunged and hissed at officers, however it was contained in a tank topped with a weighted metal grate.

The state Department of Environmental Management took custody of the alligator, as the owner did not have the proper permits.

Officers also seized 3.6 ounces (102.05 grams) of marijuana.

The alligator's owner has been charged with a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession and received a citation for failure to obtain permits for the animal.