Talking parrot helps expose drug gang in Britain

In the United Kingdom, police have uncovered an entire drug gang — and were unexpectedly helped by an ordinary pet parrot. The bird, named Mango, turned out to be a key “witness,” whose chatty beak gave everyone away.

It all began when police searched the cell of inmate Adam Garnett. Despite serving his sentence, the man continued to run a drug network straight from prison. In his cell, officers found mobile phones, routers, and a trove of compromising material.

Further searches took place at his girlfriend Shannon Hilton’s home. On her phone, police found a video of Mango clearly repeating the phrase “two for 25” — a code phrase used in drug sales. It turned out the bird had been deliberately trained to say it.

But that wasn’t all. The house also contained large amounts of cash, stashes of heroin, crack, ketamine, and other substances. In other videos, the parrot can be seen playing with banknotes, with suspicious-looking bags nearby. Police also documented video calls between Garnett and his accomplices, with blocks of drugs visible in the background and music playing with lyrics about cocaine.

As a result of the operation, 15 people faced trial. Garnett’s sentence was extended by another 19.5 years. His girlfriend received 12 years. In total, the gang members received more than 100 years in prison. Two accomplices are still at large.

Mango the parrot is now famous across the country. As police jokingly say, sometimes even a feathered friend can play a part in a major investigation — as long as the camera is switched on at the right time.