Top gun or top dog? Showing up and sniffing out…
K9 Maverick makes 3 drug busts in one week in Irwin County
OCILLA, Ga. – Every day harmful narcotics are taken off our street thanks to law enforcement. However, behind almost every seizure, is a “sniffer”… and one K9 in particular at the Irwin County Sheriff’s Office has been the “goodest” of boys…
“Me and maverick, we’re together twenty-four-seven,” said Sgt. T.J. Merritt, Maverick’s handler, Irwin Co. Sheriff’s Office.
Since becoming partners last October Maverick has lived up to his name, proving to Merritt and the Sheriff’s office he is “Top Gun” material…
This past week the duo and the South Central Drug Task Force made 3 felony drug busts, two being in one day.
Maverick set a new personal record, sniffing out 2 pounds of hidden Methamphetamine in one bust. Maverick is responsible for 4 of 35 drugs busts this year and 5 felony arrests since March… and the only reward he wants is… well… more drugs!
“Maverick is one of those when he gets a reward he spits it out and he’s ready to go to the next one he’s ready to find it. He’s easy to work, he’s high energy he loves to play, loved to work and I’m super proud of him,” said Sgt. Merritt.
Now let’s put Maverick to work… marijuana is planted on one of these three vehicles, all impounded from prior busts and covered in different scents… let’s see if he can point out one scent over the others…
1 minute and 17 seconds is all it took for Maverick to successfully locate the marijuana.
The rookie canine is capable of tracking missing persons, and narcotics hidden in secret places, or with scents humans can’t initially smell, like Meth, Cocaine or pills….
“I hope Maverick shows people in the county that we have a job and we’re going to do that job, and to rid the nasty narcotics off our street,” said Sgt. Merritt.
It was an incredible experience to see Maverick and Deputy Merritt in action today, but if you want to keep up with all the K9’s and Deputies of the Irwin County Sheriff’s Office, be sure to follow their Facebook and if you see maverick or Merritt in public, be sure to say hello…
Mary Alex Anders reporting.
Copyright 2023 CBS 44 South Georgia. All rights reserved.
