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Russian police find crocodile in home's basement

By Ben Hooper
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Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Police raiding a Russian home to search for suspected illegal weapons came across something unexpected: a crocodile in the basement.

Authorities in St. Petersburg said police searching a Petergof-area house suspected of being used by nationalist group Red Star seized a cache of illegal weapons including assault rifles and explosive devices.

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Officers also made a surprising discovery in the basement of the home -- a 6 1/2-foot Nile crocodile swimming in a pool carved into the concrete floor.

Police and the city's veterinary service are now searching for a home for the crocodile after the Leningrad Zoo said there was no room for the reptile.

Officials said they are looking into whether the crocodile's keeper followed the proper regulations for an exotic pet, but they have not yet found any paperwork pertaining to the reptile.

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