Sudbury police dog helps officers find $67K in illegal drugs

Greater Sudbury Police Service dog Roy (Royal) and his handler. (Supplied)

Greater Sudbury police’s canine played a significant role in a recent drug bust, police said Thursday.

‘Royal’ helped police search a vehicle during an arrest June 27 on Highway 69 in which more than $67,700 in cocaine, fentanyl and other substances were seized.

The arrest comes after the local police drug unit worked with Ontario Provincial Police’s joint forces guns and gangs enforcement team to investigate a southern Ontario suspect.

The person “was believed to be trafficking illicit drugs in Greater Sudbury,” police said in a news release Thursday.

Together they were involved in a high-risk vehicle stop on Highway 69 around 9:45 p.m.

“The driver and passenger of the vehicle were taken into police custody without incident,” police said.

Detectives searched the vehicle and found cocaine, fentanyl, morphine pills, oxycodone tablets and cash.

“K-9 Roy (Royal) conducted a secondary search locating additional large sums of cocaine and fentanyl,” police said.

“In total, officers seized 125 grams of fentanyl, 175 grams of cocaine and $1,000 in cash. The estimated street value of the drugs is over $67,700.”

Two people from southern Ontario, ages 31 and 28, have been charged with multiple counts of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.

Both individuals appeared in bail court on June 28 and have been remanded into custody.

Police said the OPP-led provincial gun and gangs enforcement initiative is comprised of “23 municipal, provincial and federal law enforcement agencies who co-operatively work to enhance public safety and effectively disrupt street gang networks and their associated criminal activities.”