Deputy Elmo, a drug-sniffing police dog, was on the job with his partner Deputy
C. Kowis when his keen sense of smell took over. While searching a home in Harris
County, the Belgian Malinois
passed a bedroom closet and began to paw at the door. When
investigators opened the closet door they found a set of bookshelves. Elmo continued
to paw at the shelves.
When the investigators unscrewed the shelves from the wall, a piece of sheetrock
fell away, revealing more than $3 million in cash. The cash bundles were tightly
wrapped in clear plastic with numbers written on the top indicating the amount in
each stack.
Sheriff investigators were searching the house following a tip about drug trafficking
in the home in Houston, TX. As they entered the house, they found bottles of air
freshener and sheets of fabric softener throughout the residence. These items have
been used to throw off the scent of drug-sniffing dogs like Elmo.
Before Elmo entered the home, he searched the suspect's Ford Explorer, finding more
than 130 grams of cocaine. This was enough cocaine to fill a gallon-sized plastic
bag. The powder was found tightly rolled, deep behind the glove compartment, which
had to be torn apart in order for investigators to locate it. The cocaine had a
street value of $80 to $100 per gram.
Deputy Elmo is 4 years old and has been with the Sheriff's Office since September
2007. He excels in narcotics detection and criminal apprehension.