Cottonwood man drove to Phoenix to buy half-pound of methamphetamine and arrested by pair of police dogs, marshals say

A late-night traffic stop in Yavapai County took nearly half a pound of methamphetamine from northern Arizona streets after two narcotics detection dogs sniffed out drugs hidden inside a car.

George Leo Krekelberg of Cottonwood was taken into custody early Tuesday morning along State Route 260 and Cherry Creek Road after police discovered approximately 200 grammes of methamphetamine. Investigators say Krekelberg, 55, admitted to travelling south to the Phoenix region, especially to obtain the illegal narcotics before returning to the Verde Valley.

The incident began just before 1 a.m. on August 4, when deputies from the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office stopped a car for civil traffic offences. During the stop, two licensed narcotics detection K9s, including Camp Verde’s K9 Gunner, independently alerted authorities to the presence of drugs. Officers claim a search revealed the hidden drug stockpile.

During questioning, Krekelberg allegedly revealed to officers that there was a “half” (a half-pound of an illegal narcotic) in the vehicle and confirmed his journey to Phoenix to obtain the supply. Police recognised a passenger in the automobile and released him at the spot, pending further investigation.

Krekelberg, who served four years in prison in the 2010s for drugs, theft, and trafficking stolen items, was taken to the Yavapai County Detention Centre and booked on multiple felony charges, including possession of a dangerous drug, possession of a dangerous drug for sale, transportation of a dangerous drug for sale, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Camp Verde Marshal’s Office hailed the cops for their “outstanding teamwork”. K9 Gunner once again showed his great training and dependability by issuing a positive alert that assisted in the removal of a considerable amount of harmful drugs from our neighbourhood,” Marshals stated in a statement. “Every seizure like this helps make Camp Verde a safer place by preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching our neighbourhoods.”

The passenger’s identity or possible involvement.