At 0130 hours I made a traffic stop on a 2004 Ford Excursion for a speeding violation.  Upon further investigation, amongst other tale tell signs like three cellular phones in the console, two men traveling with no luggage, traveling with windows open when it's 25 degrees, stating they needed gas when the gauge showed 3/4 full and the lack of interest in making eye contact while I asked questions, I became even more suspicious.  This suspicion was enriched 100% when I ran warrants on the two men and received an NCIC hit on the passenger.  Why would a warrant make me more suspicious?  Because the charge was for possession of Marijuana in excess of 50 pounds.  None the less, my back-up arrived and we placed the passenger in custody.  As he turned around to place his hands behind his back he discarded his energy supplement, which was about a gram of cocaine.  When I began speaking to the driver, he became very nervous and his body language was obviously telling me it did not agree with what his mouth was saying.  …he granted permission for me to search through an empty vehicle that he had only owned for five months.  A hand search revealed virtually nothing although there was exception to the visual inaccuracies of missing interior parts, loose moldings and headliner, etc... But the big area of interest to me was the flashy and shiny scaring inside the hex screws that were attached to the floor in the back over the location of where the gas tank would be.  Well, after nothing by hand, I asked the driver to stand "over there and be very still".  That's when he saw me going to the car and said, "Oh, you got a dog?"  Of course!  I retrieved Primus and asked Primus to tell me where the dope is.  Upon command, we ran the exterior of the car and nothing.  By the way Rob, it was "hit and get" we did not lolly-gag.  We then entered the rear of the vehicle and Primus immediately turned around and hit the right floor and molding panel where the jack would normally be stored.  I had searched this area very well and knew there was nothing there or hidden close by, so I pulled Primus out and ran the remaining interior.  I then put Primus in one more time and he did the same thing.  Now I decided that Rob is probably right when he says "Don't doubt the dog!”  Now I began a more thorough hand search and visual inspection of the gas tank underneath the vehicle.  Still nothing out of the ordinary.  I called in reinforcements to include the rest of my shift and the Drug Task Force explaining my precursors to them.  We all searched diligently and still nothing.  Just as we were about to give in despite the valid signals we had discovered, I asked my state police buddy if they still had a scope.  He said, "It's at the office."  I asked to go get it cause I just got to know.  Well upon inserting the scope into the tank, we observed PACKAGES!  Now we took the vehicle and driver to the "shop."  ...

…  Anyway, the pictures tell the rest of the story.   The total seizure resulted in 174.5 lbs of marijuana in 160 individually wrapped bundles.

Again I thank you for training and introducing me to a multi-purpose K-9 that is truly amazing!!!   

Lt. Kelly Lowe
Carlsbad Police Department