PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania horse racing officials are investigating after a search last weekend turned up what authorities described as “contraband” in the horse barn area at Parx Racing in Bensalem.
Word of the search first emerged at Tuesday’s meeting of the state Horse Racing Commission.
In an excerpt of the meeting posted on social media, state director of thoroughbred racing Tom Chuckas said investigators searched six barns, five grooms’ quarters and five tack rooms where riding gear is stored.
“A significant amount of contraband was discovered dealing with medications, unlabeled, compounded or expired,” Chuckas said.
“I regret to say they were contraband items that have no business on the backside, with needles and syringes and some other things that we discovered.”
Vehicles and veterinarians’ offices were also searched.
Chuckas’s office is part of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. In an email to KYW Newsradio, department spokeswoman Shannon Powers called the search “routine enforcement work,” and said an investigation was underway. She said Parx cooperated with the inspections.
As of early Friday afternoon, Parx Racing had not responded to a request for comment by KYW Newsradio.
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