San Diego sector Border Patrol dog sniffs out 81 pounds of cocaine

The driver of a sport utility vehicle authorities say was carrying more than 80 pounds of cocaine may have gotten away with it if it weren’t for that meddling dog.

Around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, the SUV was traveling on the 15 Freeway through Temecula when it was stopped by agents with the San Diego sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

During a subsequent sniff test of the vehicle, a dog alerted agents of the possible presence of drugs. Authorities said a follow-up search uncovered a series of cellophane-wrapped packages stashed inside a false dashboard.

Agents arrested the driver and an accompanying passenger, and impounded the SUV for further inspection.

In all, authorities said they found 31 bundles in the false dashboard, containing a total of 81 pounds of cocaine.

San Diego sector Border Patrol agents have seized 2,437 pounds of cocaine since the beginning of the fiscal year, according to the department.

The sector has also seized 3,627 pounds of methamphetamine, 31 pounds of heroin and 475 pounds of fentanyl. That includes 3.65 combined pounds of fentanyl and heroin found from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17.

“I am proud to say that men and women of the United States Border Patrol are out there day and night protecting our communities,” Chief Patrol Agent Patricia McGurk-Daniel said in a statement. “With each successful narcotic interdiction, I know for a fact that we’ve saved someone’s life.”