Drago, the Uruguayan malinois dog that seized 180 kg of cocaine paste and is key to the anti-drug fight
Police dog Drago detected a shipment hidden in a van heading to Paraguay, equivalent to 790,000 doses valued at one million dollars.
Drago, the K9 dog that caught the drug trafficker in Montevideo
A four-year-old Belgian Malinois shepherd became a key figure in Uruguay's anti-drug fight. According to infobae.com, the dog Drago—a member of the fourth generation of detection canines from the General Directorate for Suppression of Illicit Drug Trafficking—was instrumental in locating approximately 180 kilograms of cocaine paste hidden in a van heading to Paraguay.
The operation took place on Route 1 and Camino General Escuela Basilio Múñoz, on the outskirts of Montevideo. During a vehicle inspection, police officers detected an anomaly in the floor of a van and requested Drago's intervention. The dog executed a "passive indication": it sat down precisely on the point where the shipment was hidden, beneath the driver's seat.
Officers seized 111 bricks of cocaine paste, equivalent to 790,000 doses valued at approximately one million dollars on the local market.
Four years and an already distinguished career
Drago began his training at 45 days old and completed his pre-operational phase before eighteen months of age, according to Uruguay's Ministry of the Interior. His training included an initial "habituation" stage in various operational settings: traffic stops, prison searches, raids, inspections at passenger terminals and airports, and package searches.
To teach him to identify substances, instructors used "synthetic pseudo substances" that simulate the odours of marijuana, cocaine, cocaine paste and ecstasy. The logic of the method is association: when the dog locates the odour of the substance, it receives a toy as a reward.
"Actually, he is searching for the toy," explained the narcotics K9 handler in an interview with the programme Puesta a Punto on Channel 12, who spoke with his back to the camera to protect his identity. The official also refuted a widespread "social myth": dogs are not given drugs during training.
Obsession with play, the basis of canine profile
According to one of the researchers from the Uruguayan Police cited in the Ministry of the Interior publication, the main quality an animal must have to join the unit is an "obsession with play and toys". This is coupled with "suitable temperament, search intensity and physical endurance".
Drago came from a litter of ten puppies; his mother also formed part of the unit. He was selected from among his littermates and today lives in a police residence in the Prado neighbourhood of Montevideo alongside other dogs from the unit. His handlers train them, feed them and are supported by 24-hour veterinary service. The dogs sleep in conditioned kennels.
"Drago has had multiple successful operations and seizures during his service, standing out for his courage and professionalism, becoming a key element in the fight against drug trafficking," stated the Ministry of the Interior in a statement. His image was recently released by the ministry, which led to him also appearing on Uruguayan television media.
Source: Google News UY — Crime