Police dog dies after ingesting crystal meth in huge drug bust

Barney began having seizures and had a temperature of 109

(Tacoma Police Department)

A police dog in Tacoma, Washington has died after he inadvertently inhaled powdered crystal meth during a huge drug bust in which police seized 44 pounds (20 kg) of narcotics.

The 11-year-old Labrador mix – named Barney – was executing a search warrant with Henry Betts, partner, when the dog accidentally sniffed the meth powder, according to the local Fox affiliate. He started having seizures and his temperature jumped to 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).

Barney was taken to an animal hospital on Tuesday night and briefly recovered on Wednesday before he passed away the following day.

Officer Betts and Barney had been partners since 2010.

Because of Barney’s drug bust, three men were arrested in what Tacoma officials called one of the biggest busts in the last decade. Samuel Tafolla Hernandez, 39, Thomas Servantes Diaz, 34, and Jose Mauricio Lozano-Miranda, 38, were all charged Wednesday with unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

Officers also found $225,000 in addition to the massive amount of crystal meth.

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