Drug-Sniffing Dog at Kansas City Airport Leads to Seizure of More than $20,000

Jun. 9—More than $20,000 in cash was seized from a passenger at Kansas City International Airport after a drug-sniffing canine made a positive alert.

Authorities were conducting drug interdiction on Feb. 18 at the Southwest Airlines bag room when Csibi, a Dutch Shepherd dog, detected a narcotics odor, according to court documents filed last month by federal attorneys for the Western District of Missouri.

Drug task force members traced the suitcase to a passenger who was waiting to board a flight to Los Angeles. Officers interviewed the man near the boarding gate, and he consented to having his suitcase and carry-on backpack searched.

An officer located three envelopes containing thousands of dollars in cash in the backpack as well as a vacuum heat-sealing machine in the man's suitcase. The man said the money was going to be used during the trip and at a casino.

The man also consented to a canine sniff and Csibi gave a positive alert for narcotics in or around the currency, court documents said.

Officers seized $21,365, alleging the money was connected to controlled substances. The cash is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until a judge rules on the asset forfeiture.

The man has not been criminally charged in federal or state court, according to an online search of court records.

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