K9 Leads Harbor Police to Drug Bust

Monday, 13 April 2009
Contact: Barbara Moreno (619) 686-6216, John Gilmore (619) 686-7206

A routine traffic stop ended with a nearly 600 pound marijuana seizure over the weekend. It happened on Sunday around 6:45 p.m. at 1550 Rosecrans Street.

Harbor Police Officer K. Morris and his K9 partner Luke attempted to pull over the driver of a 1995 Jeep Cherokee. The SUV was towing an 18-foot powerboat on a trailer. Morris said the Jeep had a taillight out and the driver failed to make a stop at a stop sign at Shelter Island and Rosecrans Street.

The driver refused to stop, and continued driving slowly for about seven blocks, said Morris. Once the vehicle stopped, the driver, identified as Brualio DeJesus, 31, of Chula Vista, got out of the car.

"He had the door halfway open and started running. Other units responded and set up a perimeter and they finally found him," Morris said. DeJesus was taken into custody.

As part of the routine stop, Luke was brought in to search the vessel and alerted Officer Morris. Inside, police found approximately 589 pounds of marijuana hidden in many areas of the boat.

The passenger in the vehicle, identified as Jacyln Cisneros, 31, was also arrested.

Luke, a 5-year-old black Labrador Retriever, is a three-year veteran of the Harbor Police force.  Morris has been with the force for seven years.  The two have been partners since December 2005 and routinely work in assisting narcotics enforcement teams across the region.

"It's the best job in the department," Morris said of working with his K9 partner.  Morris said Sunday's seizure is the largest in Luke's career.

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