Cat organised Prison Break Out
A cat has been detained in the grounds of a jail in Brazil with contraband goods for prisoners strapped to its body with tape

A cat has been seized by authorities in Brazil after it was seen entering the grounds of a prison strapped with implements including drill parts, a mobile phone, and earplugs.

Prison officers caught the offending animal after it was seen slipping though the main gates with a length of duct tape wrapped around its body. Attached to the tape were items including nail files, a memory stick, battery charger and other contraband.

The incident took place at a jail in Arapiraca, a city of 215,000 people 250km (155 miles) south-west of Recife in Alagoas state.

All 263 detainees in the prison are being treated as suspects in the plot, which is being investigated by local police. Officials said the items could be used in an escape bid, or for communicating with criminals on the outside.

The white cat was taken to an animal disease centre to receive medical care. The incident took place on New Year's Day but was first reported by national media on Saturday.

"It's tough to find out who's responsible for the action as the cat doesn't speak," a prison official told local paper Estado de S Paulo.