Somebody get Star a bone. He earned it.
About 450 pounds of cocaine, worth an estimated $6 million, never made it to Canada after a CBP K-9 helped find the stash under a truck’s floor. Star was working the Lewiston Bridge crossing in New York. Bad place to bring that particular cargo.
That ought to qualify for employee of the month. We can work around the whole “can’t hang a plaque in his kennel” problem.
Fox News identified the dog as Star in its post about the seizure. And look at him. American flag behind him, ears up, tongue hanging out. Someone’s out $6 million worth of cocaine, and Star looks ready to play fetch.
This hero K-9 named Star sniffed out $6 million worth of cocaine hidden under the floor of a tractor-trailer.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 30, 2026
CBP says officers along the U.S.-Canada border discovered roughly 450 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $6 million after noticing modifications during an inspection… pic.twitter.com/W44zDQXPs9
CBP officers stopped the truck September 22 as a 21-year-old Canadian man drove toward Canada. Something about the trailer floor caught their attention: it had been modified. They brought in the dog, who alerted to narcotics in what appeared to be an empty trailer. That earned the truck a trip to secondary inspection.
Officers checked beneath the floor and pulled out 174 vacuum-sealed packages. Field tests came back positive for cocaine. So much for the empty trailer.
All that work modifying the floor, sealing the packages, and concealing the load. Then the dog showed up. An expensive day to discover the limits of your handiwork.
Sharon Swiatek, acting port director for the Area Port of Buffalo, credited the officers and canine teams. She also pointed out that their job includes checking what leaves the country:
“While a large focus of our border security mission is on inbound threats, our officers remain equally sharp during outbound operations…”
The case went to Homeland Security Investigations in Buffalo for further investigation.
Star isn't the first dog to make a smuggler's day very bad. There's precedent for a customs dog ruining somebody's travel plans. Buddey, working at Boston's Logan Airport, helped find mummified monkeys in a suitcase. Yes, monkeys. Somebody actually packed those.
At least the officers in Lewiston got a more familiar kind of contraband. Still, 174 packages tucked beneath a floor took some finding. Credit the people who noticed the modifications and followed up on Star's alert. They had plenty of work left once he'd done his part.
But only one of them can reasonably demand a tennis ball as a bonus.
Canada can send its thank-you note to Star. Preferably with something chewable enclosed.
Good boy, Star.
Editor's Note: Do you enjoy RedState's conservative reporting exposing the radical left and woke media? Support our work so we can keep bringing you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.