MCB HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii -- After helping stop more than $1.5 million in drugs from entering the U.S. border, an MCB Hawaii K-9 handler and his dog returned to Kaneohe Bay with experience that will help the team do its job more effectively.
From March 29 to May 20, Cpl. Brett Jeanselme and his military working dog Max worked with U.S. Customs agents to curb the flow of drugs into the country through the border at Mexico. Max, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, detected more than 1,750 pounds of drugs while working at border crossings in El Paso, Texas.
The deployment, part of an ongoing training cycle involving military working dogs from the Department of Defense and U.S. Customs, allowed Jeanselme and Max to deploy together for the first time and to work with K-9 teams from other military services.
"The trip was definitely a good experience for us," Jeanselme said. "It was great to work in a different environment. It helped Max recognize the odors better."
Although Max and Jeanselme stopped more than a dozen large shipments of drugs from slipping into the U.S., the mission was still considered training for the Marines.
"We were not able to make any arrests, so when Max detected drugs, we had to bring the Customs officials over to verify the presence of drugs, and apprehend the smugglers," he said.
Jeanselme won acclaim from the Customs officials during his tour in El Paso with Max. During one week, the team found 10 loads of drugs inside vehicles attempting to enter the U.S.
The hot El Paso sun, and the long wait to get across the border, made the odor stronger than normal as the cars passed through the inspection stations. While some loads were easier to detect because of the heat, duty on the border opened Jeanselme's eyes to the ingenuity smugglers employ to get past border inspection stations.
Max, a certified narcotics dog, can detect marijuana, cocaine, heroine, hashish, methamphetamine and ecstasy. Smugglers tried a variety of tricks to get drugs past the working dogs. The challenge was good for the K-9 team.
"The trip taught both of us a lot about how we can do our job better here," Jeanselme said. "It also tightened the bond between Max and I. It helped me to trust him a lot more."