A DOG in Colombia who has sniffed out a record amount of drugs in her career with the counter-narcotics police force has been moved to ensure her safety.

Intelligence sources said the Urabenos drug gang had put a 200-million-peso (US$70,000) price on the German shepherd’s head after she found almost 10 tons of the gang’s cocaine.

The Urabenos is considered Colombia’s most powerful criminal organization.

Sombra (Shadow) was moved from the gang’s heartland to Bogotá airport.

Six-year-old Sombra had been deployed in ports on the Atlantic coast including Turbo, a town from which tons of cocaine are shipped by speedboat and sometimes by submarine to Central America and on to the United States.

Sombra sniffed out 5.3 tons of cocaine in Turbo and recently found another 4 tons stashed in car parts meant for export.

Much of the drug trafficking is controlled by the Urabenos, also known as the úsuga clan or Gulf clan.

The gang’s boss, Dairo Antonio úsuga, also known as Otoniel, is one of Colombia’s most wanted men.

The vastly bigger sum the Urabenos is offering for the killing of Shadow is indicative of the financial losses her sensitive nose has caused the gang.

Counter-narcotics police officers said Shadow is being well guarded by her handler and other officers. But for the time being she would be safer on duty at El Dorado airport in the capital.

Sombra has been with the counter-narcotics police force since she was a puppy and is credited with sniffing out drugs leading to the arrest of 245 suspects.

(SD-Agencies)