ADOT officers using K-9 units to combat illegal drugs
The Arizona Department of Transportation is using the agency’s first K-9 units to help reduce smuggling of drugs and people, at commercial ports of entry in eastern and western Arizona.
The K-9’s are trained to detect illegal drugs and human cargo and the pilot program to obtain and train them cost $29,000.
The units are part of ADOT’s Enforcement and Compliance Division, which enforces laws involving commercial vehicle safety and permits, registration and driver’s license fraud, and unlicensed auto dealers, among other areas.
“Protecting public safety is the No. 1 responsibility of state government,” Governor Ducey said. “We’re committed to making sure law enforcement agencies, including the highly trained officers keeping watch at our commercial ports of entry, have the resources they need to combat drug trafficking and human smuggling.”
Between December and May of 2018, two K-9 units based at the Interstate 10 Ehrenberg Port of Entry and the Interstate 40 Sanders Port of Entry, have helped officers seize in excess of 350 pounds of marijuana, 600 vials of hash oil and $90,000 in illicit bulk currency.
ADOT has inspected hundreds of vehicles and aided other law enforcement agencies on dozens of occasions.
“This is a matter of highway safety,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Our officers, along with the Arizona Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies, find illegal drugs and cases of human smuggling on our highways. Adding K-9s where we are already screening commercial vehicles makes us a more capable and effective team.”
