Updated

Updated · Fox News · Oct 4

Alhambra Police Seize 440 Pounds of Cocaine After K-9 Otis Alerts During Traffic Stop

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Oct 4

Alhambra Police Seize 440 Pounds of Cocaine After K-9 Otis Alerts During Traffic Stop

Q: What initially prompted police to stop an SUV carrying 440 pounds of cocaine before a hero K-9 sniffed out the stash?

Police have not said what specifically triggered the initial stop. What authorities have disclosed is that officers stopped the SUV near Valley Boulevard and the 710 Freeway in Alhambra and noticed it was carrying an unusually large amount of cargo — a vehicle packed with cardboard boxes. After the stop, the driver allegedly gave conflicting explanations about the boxes, which led officers to bring in K-9 Otis. The dog then alerted to the SUV, and officers found about 200 kilograms, or 440 pounds, of cocaine hidden inside. So, the publicly known reason is only that officers observed the SUV loaded with an unusual amount of cargo; the exact original cause for the traffic stop was not released.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 4

About 200 kilos of cocaine—roughly 440 pounds—were found inside an SUV stopped on Valley Boulevard near the 710 Freeway, and driver Julio Rangel of Huntington Park was arrested.
Officers grew suspicious after seeing the SUV loaded with cardboard boxes, and police said the driver gave conflicting explanations about where he was going and what the cargo was.
K-9 Otis then alerted to the vehicle, prompting a search that uncovered the cocaine packed inside the SUV.
Alhambra police publicly praised Otis after the bust, and social media users called for rewards ranging from a promotion to a steak dinner.