'Abstain from using cocaine, especially during a traffic stop' - Seattle police

A unique holiday safety message from Seattle's police department features a dashcam video of the recent arrest of a 73-year-old motorist.

The senior citizen was pulled over last week for driving without his lights on, a routine traffic offense, and was actually going to get off with a warning.

However, things escalated rather quickly as seen in the festive video from the Seattle Police Blotter.

Having checked the man’s license and registration, police officer Nic Abts-Olsen was going back to the man’s Toyota when he saw the driver scooping cocaine onto his arm.

Clearly not expecting the officer to return so soon, the startled man fumbled with his vial of powder and spilled the contents all over the car.

A recording of the arrest was posted online by Seattle Police, in it they urge drivers to "abstain from using cocaine, especially during a traffic stop".

In true ‘caught red-handed’ style, the man tried to brush off the evidence and pretend nothing happened.

“What’s in your left hand?” asked the officer. 

“Nothing,” replied the driver.

Upon realizing his "deny, deny, deny" tactic was getting him nowhere, the man claimed the powder was "vitamins".

When the policeman pointed out that the white power didn’t look like a vitamin pill, the frustrated driver yelled “I know!”.

He was subsequently arrested for possession of narcotics.