Man Sues NYPD After Officers Confuse Breath Mints for Ecstasy: Reports



A Brooklyn man is suing the NYPD after he was cuffed earlier this year when cops confused breath mints he was carrying for ecstasy pills, according to news reports.
According to the suit filed last week in federal court, 46-year-old Robert Hankins was falsely arrested in April after police found the breath mints in his pocket and accused him of having drugs, the The Smoking Gun and the New York Post both report.
Hankins was booked on drug possession charges and spent about 30 hours in police custody, the papers report. Prosecutors later dropped the charges after discovering the purported drugs were actually Pow-brand energy mints.
"Fresh breath is not a crime. It’s unthinkable that mints from Walgreens could be confused for Ecstasy pills. All the officers needed to do was smell them. They’re wintergreen,” Hankins’ attorney told the Post.
It’s not the first time NYPD officers have confused candy for drugs, according to The Smoking Gun. In October, a man filed a civil rights lawsuit against the department after he was arrested when officers mistook blue and red Jolly Ranchers for methamphetamine.