Yellowknife (Feb 09/05) - Police have a dog to thank for one of the largest drug busts in the history of Yellowknife.

A city resident was walking their canine near Con Mine last Thursday morning when the pooch uncovered a plastic bag containing roughly 1,000 grams of cocaine buried under a pile of snow. Police estimate the value of the cache at nearly $120,000.

"It's hard to say exactly what impact the drugs would have had on Yellowknife, but it would have been significant," said Cpl. Larry O'Brien, head of the RCMP's drug unit.

Drug dealers often bury their stash outdoors to guard against being caught red-handed in a police raid, said O'Brien.

The bag was found on the side of a road that leads into the Con Mine property. It was probably hidden sometime within the last several months, but O'Brien said it was impossible for investigators to determine a precise date.

He declined to discuss whether police were able to get a fingerprint from the plastic bag or if they had any potential clues that could link the drugs to a suspect.

O'Brien said "it is not uncommon" for pets to uncover similar drug caches.

Two years ago, a person was walking their dog near Niven Lake when the canine discovered nearly 600 grams of cocaine, O'Brien said. That discovery was worth nearly $70,000.

Anyone uncovering buried narcotics should contact police immediately. O'Brien also cautioned pet owners to keep their animals away from the drugs and avoid touching the evidence themselves.