KAAPMUIDEN – A four-legged hero of the SAPS White River K9 Unit became an overnight social-media sensation after sniffing out drugs worth R50 million on Sunday.
Milo, a golden Labrador, did not let fuel fumes fool him and alerted his handler to the well-hidden 50 kilograms of pure heroin. An ingenious method was used to hide the highly addictive drugs from the human eye. One could be millimetres away from the drugs and not know it. The suspect would surely have evaded arrest had it not been for a dog’s strong sense of smell, but Milo made the discovery almost immediately.
Tonga cluster police spokesman Lt Mzwandile Nyambi agreed that the speed at which Milo sniffed out the heroin, deserved a mention. “This is an extraordinary feat and one of the biggest drug busts I’m aware of,” he said yesterday.
He said that the dog unit had received a tip-off on Sunday. “An informant said that drugs were being transported from Malalane to Mbombela. According to the information, it was hidden in a Toyota Prado with a South African number plate, driven by a Mozambican.”
The unit deployed officers in the vicinity of Kaapmuiden Police Station. Some time later, they pulled over a Prado. “Milo shot towards one of the vehicle’s two petrol tanks. The tank was completely sealed, as petrol tanks are, but his advanced skills directed him towards the drugs immediately,” said Nyambi.
The fuel tank was removed from the vehicle and cut open, revealing the find that would make Milo and his handler, a sergeant who may not be named, the police’s pride. A post was made on Facebook with the caption: “Today, a member of the White River K9 Unit and his dog, Milo, made a bust many policemen can only dream of!” The policeman and his canine partner received many congratulations on Facebook, and the post was liked by more than 1 500 users.
According to the Facebook group “Police pics and clips,” the dog-and-handler team responsible for this bust has recovered more than R100 million’s worth of drugs so far this year. The two-legged half of this dream team rewarded his partner with a huge piece of biltong.
This moment was captured on camera and shared on social media, much to the delight of users. Mr Jeranimo Masoio (50) appeared on charges of illegally importing and dealing in drugs in the Barberton Magistrate’s Court yesterday. His bail hearing was postponed by a week.
* The police requested members of the public to report incidents of drug use.
Also read: Laeveldse dwelmverslaafdes praat uit
