'Sophisticated compartment' not enough to fool Merced County K-9 officer, CHP says

A Merced County K-9 helped officers take 35 pounds of crystal methamphetamine off the street on Thursday, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Officers stopped a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu about 12:45 p.m. on northbound Interstate 5 near Nees Avenue, where officers said the driver and passenger showed "indicators of criminal activity," according to Officer Eric Zuniga.

Officers brought in K-9 officer Laika to sniff the outside of the vehicle.

The K-9 gave an alert, officers said, and the driver consented to a search. Officers said they found 35 pounds of crystal methamphetamine hidden inside of a "sophisticated compartment" built into the trunk.

Officers arrested Andrew Gomez, 21, and Adrian Ponce, 25, both of Riverside, for drug possession, according to CHP.

Both were booked into the Los Banos City Jail, according to CHP. The details on their bail amounts were not immediately available.

This story was originally published October 19, 2017 at 5:59 PM with the headline "'Sophisticated compartment' not enough to fool Merced County K-9 officer, CHP says."