Dogs have incredible abilities that make them valuable assets to law enforcement. These dogs may use their sense of smell to track down wanted people or to detect and find illegal substances.
And some dogs become true heroes by bringing down some truly notorious criminals. Like one dog named Max, who is now being credited with helping bring down a most wanted fugitive.
Rafael Caro Quintero is a Mexican drug lord who in 1985 kidnapped, tortured and murdered a DEA agent named Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, according to AP. As a cartel leader, he was one of the main distributors of illegal drugs, including cocaine and heroin, into the US in the 1970s.
He was sentenced to 40 years in prison, but walked free in 2013 after a court overturned his sentence. While the Supreme Court upheld the sentence, Caro Quintero went back to drug trafficking after his release. He was on the FBI’s most wanted list, and was in the top 10 since 2018, with a $20 million bounty on his head.
But the drug lord was finally brought to justice on Friday after being located and arrested by the Mexican Navy — who had a lot of help from a smart dog named Max.
According to WION, Max is a 6-year-old female bloodhound who helps Mexico’s military with her incredible sense of smell. The dog got a major hero moment on Friday as she led forces in a search for Quintero.
According to AP, Max successfully located Quintero hiding in brush in the town of San Simon in Sinaloa state, leading authorities to his location and allowing them to make an arrest.
Quintero will reportedly be extradited to the United States to face justice. His arrest was celebrated as the culmination of a long battle to take down one of the most notorious drug traffickers.
“There is no hiding place for anyone who kidnaps, tortures, and murders American law enforcement,” said US Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement. “Today’s arrest is the culmination of tireless work by DEA and their Mexican partners to bring Caro-Quintero to justice for his alleged crimes, including the torture and execution of DEA Special Agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena.”
As law enforcement celebrated the news, they gave a lot of credit to Max, the smart dog who led the way.
We’re so glad that this cartel leader has been brought down, and all thanks to the help of a smart dog named Max!
Share this amazing story as a reminder of the incredible things dogs can do.
