CT Police Dog's Nose Credited In Large Drug Bust: Police

NEW BRITAIN/HARTFORD/EAST HARTFORD, CT — State police are crediting the nose of one of its police dogs in a significant narcotics bust recently that saw three men from the greater Hartford area charged.

The trio were all taken into police custody last Friday, Jan. 12, in New Britain after state police K-9 officer "General" used his nose and sniffed out narcotics on a New Britain CT Fastrak Bus, state police said Wednesday.

Those facing charges were:

• Sammy Lee Trimmier, 40, of Hartford, was charged with the sale of a narcotic substance; conspiracy to commit the sale of a narcotic substance; possession of a controlled substance; and first-degree violation of conditions of release.

• Christopher Hicks, 20, of Hartford, was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit sale of narcotics and conspiracy to violate conditions of release.

• Christian Ruben Garcia, 28, of East Hartford, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy to commit the sale of a narcotic substance.

Police said all three were held on $100,000 cash/surety bonds and they were expected to appear in New Britain Superior Court on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

According to police, Trimmier was also found to be the subject of an active PRAWN re-arrest warrant, for first-degree failure to appear in court, with a court-set bond of $200,000.

Police Wednesday released details of how "General" helped nab the suspects.

According to police, on Friday, Jan. 12, at about 9 a.m., detectives assigned to the Statewide Narcotics Task Force (SNTF) North Central Office, assisted members of state police at Troop H - Hartford with a drug enforcement operation at the New Britain CT Fastrak Bus Station.

Troopers assigned to the CT Fastrak conducted surveillance in the area and observed activities consistent with hand-to-hand narcotics transactions, police said.

Those observations, including suspect descriptions, were relayed to nearby detectives and troopers who converged on the area of the bus station and detained the three suspects.

To thwart police approaching the station, additional unidentified individuals entered a CT Fastrak bus and attempted to conceal narcotics on the bus, police said.

But, police said, "General" was deployed and located hidden narcotics underneath seats on the bus.

As a result, police seized 16 bundles of suspected heroin/fentanyl, 17 Oxycodone pills, narcotics paraphernalia, and over $400 in cash.

Police said the suspects were charged and transported to Troop H in Hartford for processing.

For the Connecticut State Police news page, click on this link.