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Colombian drug cartel put a $70K bounty on this dog

July 27, 2018 / 5:43 PM EDT / CBS News

Colombian drug cartel puts bounty on dog

A Colombian drug gang has out a $70,000 bounty on a police dog. Sombra or "Shadow" has sniffed out almost 10 tons of drugs in more than 300 operations. The K9's work has lead to 245 arrests.

Intelligence sources say drug sniffing dog's record success has lead the Colombian cartel to put a 200m-peso ($70,000) price on its head, BBC News reports.

The Urabeños gang responsible for the hit request is considered Colombia's most powerful criminal organization. Police have moved Sombra to ensure her safety.

Gang puts bounty on... a dog.
PUP PROTECTIVE PROGRAM: This may be a first -- a Colombian drug gang has put a $70,000 bounty on a police dog.
Posted by CBS Evening News with Jeff Glor on Friday, July 27, 2018

The six-year-old German shepherd is now stationed at the Bogotá Airport, which is much safer than the gang's heartland, where she used to work with counter-narcotics forces.

Police say she is accompanied by her usual handler as well as extra officers to improve her safety during her deployments.

To protect her life, Sombra has been moved to the airport after working in the Urabeños gang's heartland and sniffing out nearly 10 tons of drugs. Fernando Vergara / AP

Caitlin O'Kane

Caitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.