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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ben Turner & Nia Dalton

Dog catches prison smuggler by sniffing out tennis ball secretly stuffed with drugs

A hero police dog successfully caught an alleged prison smuggler by sniffing out a tennis ball stuffed with illegal drugs.

Harry the German shepherd used his outstanding search skills to locate the yellow ball after a man was spotted throwing items over the prison wall.

Officers found bags of suspected drugs after cutting open the 'Australian Open' tennis ball.

Police enrolled talented PD Harry to recover the item on the grounds of HMP Highpoint, a category C prison near Stradishall, Suffolk.

The male suspect fled the scene but was later found hiding nearby and arrested by officers.

PD Harry did it again (NS Police Dogs / SWNS)
He has a talent for sniffing crime (NS Police Dogs / SWNS)

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Police dogs are often trained using tennis balls - but they are usually given as a treat in a game of fetch to reward for their good work.

Norfolk and Suffolk Police Dogs wrote on Twitter on Friday: "Assist officers @HMP Highpoint, male suspected of throwing items over the wall.

"Male runs from officers, located hiding & arrested.

"A search by Pd Harry locates a [tennis ball] containing suspected controlled drugs.

"Other balls located containing contraband by HMP."

The tennis ball was filled with drugs (NS Police Dogs / SWNS)
It was thrown by a prison smuggler (NS Police Dogs / SWNS)

PD Harry isn't a stranger to tracking down criminals in hiding.

He previously located a burglar who was hidden behind bins in the town centre, after reports came in of shoplifting.

The six-year-old German shepherd also tracked down a driver who was suspected to be drunk after fleeing the scene of a crash.

Another hero police dog who is set to do amazing things is Labrador PC Bonnie.

Bonnie started life on a "filthy" puppy farm and is now working as a valued search dog with Gloucestershire Constabulary.

When PC Bonnie isn't sniffing out dangerous drugs, firearms or ammunition, she's snuggling up to her handler, PC Rich Hunt and playing with her tennis ball - though hers isn't stuffed with contraband.

Do you have a dog story to tell? Contact nia.dalton@reachplc.com.

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