A K-9 at Dulles International Airport is helping in the fights against terrorism, drugs and violence by sniffing out cash.
Nicky, a Belgian Malinois-German shepherd mix, can detect large amounts of cash hidden in carry-on luggage or clothing.
“He’s trained to detect the odor of U.S. currency,” said Nicky’s partner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Patrick Dowling.
Concealed money coming in and out of the country can potentially fund terrorism, violence and drugs, customs officials said.
"In today's day and age, obviously, our first mission is terrorism,” Dowling said. "It could be narcotic money. It could be stolen goods. It could be money just gained by nefarious activity."
Legally, travelers must report to customs if they're carrying $10,000 or more.
On Oct. 3, Nicky helped officers seize more than $74,000 unreported by two men headed to Serbia. Customs seized a total of $187,000 in October.
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Nicky's work is also part of the effort to educate the public so people understand the reporting regulations.
"We don't necessarily want to go out and just take anyone's money that's traveling," Dowling said.
Some of Nicky's methods are a secret, but Dowling did reveal the top reason Nicky finds the money.
“Most of the time, it’s the ink,” he said.
There are two dogs like Nicky that detect currency and firearms at Dulles. They normally keep the job about eight years, meaning Nicky has about four more years of service.
