Police in Oviedo, Florida, said they will take a closer look at their drug-test kits after what may have been drywall powder tested positive for cocaine.
Karlos Cashe was pulled over in March for driving without headlights.
A K-9 officer made a hit on possible drugs on the passenger side of Cashe’s vehicle, police said.
Oviedo police used a test kit and said a powdery substance tested positive for cocaine; police said they also found marijuana in the car.
Cashe was on probation for marijuana and cocaine charges.
However, further testing by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed the powdery substance was really drywall.
Cashe sat in jail for 90 days before the test results came back.
“I sat there 90 days knowing I was innocent,” Cashe said.
“We had probable cause. Our presumptive tests on the cocaine was positive and that’s what we go off of. That’s why with every presumptive that we do, we send it off to FDLE,” said Lt. Heather Capetillo with the Oviedo Police Department.
Police use a NarcoPouch, made by Safariland, to test for the narcotics.
Safariland is the same company used by Orlando police when they arrested a man after doughnut glaze tested positive for meth.
WFTV asked Oviedo police if there was an issue with the test kits.
“We will probably review test kits. (We will) contact FDLE and see if there are other test kits or other brands we can use,” Capetillo said.
About the Author
