New York.– New York cops accused Cesar Rodriguez and Jose Peña of having crack cocaine in their work van, but it was only coconut candy. Though charges were dropped after tests, the two Dominican men plan to file a US$2 million suit against the NYPD.

The night of January 15, as Peña, a 48-year-old plumber, and his longtime pal and colleague Rodriguez, 33, were headed to a party, they decided to stop at a bodega on 181st Street and the Grand Concourse.

When they came out, cops were waiting and asked to search their Ford minivan. "I said ‘Go search.’ I even opened the door," Rodriguez told the press. An officer rummaged around, came out holding a "Hello Kitty" sandwich bag, and shouted "Bingo!" the men said.

"It’s only candy!" Rodriguez said, as the cops handcuffed him and Peña, and several other police cars rushed to the scene. Rodriguez said he buys a 50-cent bag of Coco Candy, a hard coconut-based treat, almost every day. Because it easily crumbles, he puts it in a sandwich bag.

The two men were jailed for crack possession. Peña got out after three days, but Rodriguez was held two more. The Bronx District Attorney’s office confirmed that the case was dropped after authorities realized there were no drugs.