An Indiana State Trooper needed some help during a traffic stop on Friday, and K-9 Cole was eager to meet the challenge.
The trooper pulled over a PeterBilt semi on I-70 near Post Road for failing to signal a lane change, but while speaking with the driver and checking paperwork, he noticed some things that were not quite right, the Indiana State Police said.
Once he called for a K-9’s help, K-9 Cole arrived with his handler and the pair quickly got to work.
“Cole did an open-air sniff around the vehicle and he alerted to his handler the odor of narcotics. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed approximately 70 kilograms (154 pounds) of suspected cocaine inside the sleeper-birth of the semi,” the agency reported.
More testing confirmed the substance was cocaine, and officials estimate its value is at $2.8 million.
A photo shows K-9 Cole sitting beside his find with a look of pride on his face thanks to a job well done.
Social media users praised the K-9 and officers involved, one person writing, “Give him a treat please! Great Job!”
“Great job ISP!!! Intercept these drugs! Please may GOD bless you and keep you safe!” someone else commented, while another said, “Good work, Troopers! Someone get Cole a steak.”
The driver in the case is 43-year-old Onkar Singh of California. Officials arrested him on drug charges and took him to the Marion County Jail.
Meanwhile, Indiana State Police Indianapolis District Commander, Lieutenant Josh Watson, noted, “This significant drug seizure is a result of sustained and persistent efforts by troopers assigned to our drug enforcement section.”
“They spend countless hours patrolling our highways and diligently utilizing their specialized training and experience to intercept and seize illegal narcotics being transported in and through Indiana,” he concluded.
The Indiana State Police Patrol K-9 program was established in 2005, according to the agency’s website. Right now, the program has 29 Patrol K-9’s who work alongside officers to keep the community safe.
“The ISP Patrol K-9’s participate in over thirty-five hundred details annually from vehicle searches, building searches, tracks, assisting other agencies and public appearances,” the site read.
