K9 sniffs out 400 pounds of pot in 18-wheeler after traffic stop

HARRISON COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - On Tuesday evening, two deputies performed a traffic stop on Hwy 59 South in Harrison County.

The deputies pulled over a semi-truck for a moving and equipment violation. After they interviewed the driver, Brandon Ashly Beck, 33, they decided to ask for a DOT trooper for a truck inspection, the sheriff’s office says.

Two K9s and their handlers from Harrison County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene. They said that K9 Hank gave a positive alert for the odor of narcotics in the trailer. Deputies searched the trailer and discovered that the truck was carrying laundry detergent. Upon further inspection, however, they said they found random bundles of what they believed to be marijuana in the trailer. They ultimately unloaded 15 bundles, amounting to about 400 pounds of marijuana.

Beck, who is from Chicago, was arrested and booked into the Harrison County Jail for possession of marijuana greater than 50 pounds/less than 2000 pounds, a second degree felony.

The sheriff’s office says Hank is a new K9, who was shipped in from Poland and trained at the Little Rock K9 Academy. He was purchased with funds raised by the sheriff’s office specifically raised for purchasing new K9s.

Another Harrison County K9, Pato, protected his handler and took a suspect down even after being pepper sprayed.

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