Officers in Alhambra, California, seized approximately 440 pounds of cocaine after stopping an SUV along Valley Boulevard near the 710 Freeway, according to the Alhambra Police Department.

Police said officers became suspicious after noticing the vehicle was carrying an unusually large number of cardboard boxes. The driver initially told officers he was traveling home to Huntington Park from his cousin’s house and claimed the boxes did not belong to him.

His explanation later changed, with the driver telling police he was transporting diesel parts to a shop owned by a friend.

Officers then brought in Otis, a German shepherd police K-9, and his handler. Otis alerted to the vehicle, leading officers to search the SUV.

The search uncovered approximately 200 kilograms of cocaine, or roughly 440 pounds, packed inside the vehicle.

Police identified the driver as Julio Rangel of Huntington Park. He was arrested and booked into the Alhambra Police Department jail. Authorities did not disclose the exact date of the arrest.

The department credited Otis with helping uncover the massive shipment, joking that the K-9 deserved “a round of a-paws” for his work.

Photos of Otis alongside the seized cocaine quickly spread online, turning the drug-sniffing German shepherd into the unlikely star of the bust.