Rookie K-9 sniffs out 60 pounds of meth in his first drug bust, police say
What started out as a routine traffic stop in West Covina, California last week turned out to be anything but routine. Police say their new K-9 helped them discover a much more serious offense.
Rye the dog was field certified in narcotic detection just a month ago. On Saturday, officers pulled over a Silver 2010 Nissan Rogue for a vehicle code violation and then called the rookie in to help. The officers said they found methamphetamine underneath the seat and wanted Rye's expertise.
So the K-9 got to work and quickly alerted his human partners that he detected more drugs. In the end, police say he sniffed out approximately 60 pounds of meth in two other hidden compartments in the car.
When Rye arrived on scene, he "alerted on the vehicle, leading the officers to believe there was additional methamphetamine in the vehicle," the police department wrote on Facebook. The car was was impounded "and brought back to the police station where additional methamphetamine was located."
The 28-year-old driver, Pedro Lopez, was arrested on charges of possession of methamphetamine for sale and transporting narcotics in a hidden compartment. His bail was set at $1 million.
A photo of Rye posing with the pile of contraband he discovered has been shared thousands of times on Facebook. He's new on the job but already has one notch in his belt -- or collar, rather.