Veterinarian Andres Lopez Elorza (pictured), 38, who was accused of stitching bags of liquid heroin in puppies for a Colombian drug trafficking ring is now in custody in New York

A veterinarian accused of implanting liquid heroin in puppies for a Colombian drug trafficking ring is now in custody in New York.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration said Andres Lopez Elorza was arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn Tuesday afternoon on an indictment charging him with conspiring to import and distribute heroin into the United States.

Judge Marilyn Go ordered Elorez detained pending trial.

'As alleged in the indictment, Elorza is not only a drug trafficker, he also betrayed a veterinarian's pledge to prevent animal suffering when he used his surgical skills in a cruel scheme to smuggle heroin in the abdomens of puppies,' stated United States Attorney Richard Donoghue.

'Dogs are mans' best friend and, as the defendant is about to learn, we are drug dealers' worst enemy.'

Elorza, who is Venezuelan, was arrested in 2015 in Spain. He was extradited to the US Monday afternoon.

US Marshals were seen escorting Elorza to a waiting black car after he arrived at the John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Elorza was wearing a green jacket with the hood up and a blue sweater that covered handcuffs on his wrists.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration said Elorza was arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn Tuesday afternoon on an indictment charging him with conspiring to import and distribute heroin into the US. The puppies pictured were rescued in 2005

Elorza was arrested in 2015 in Spain and extradited to the US on Monday. US authorities said Elorza stitched packets (pictured) of heroin into the bellies of the dogs

US Marshals were seen escorting Elorza (pictured on Monday) to a waiting black car after he arrived at the John F. Kennedy International Airport. He was wearing a green jacket with the hood up and a blue sweater that covered handcuffs on his wrists

DEA Special Agent-in-Charge James Hunt said that 'over time, drug organizations' unquenchable thirst for profit leads them to do unthinkable crimes like using innocent puppies for drug concealment, or nowadays pushing lethal amounts of fentanyl onto our streets'.

According to the superseding indictment and facts presented in court, between September 2004 and January 2005, Elorza was a member of a conspiracy, based in Colombia, that smuggled heroin into the US.

US authorities said Elorza stitched packets of heroin into the bellies of Labrador retrievers and other breeds that were sent on commercial flights to New York City.

Officials said the packets were then cut out of the puppies, who died in the process from infections caused by the incisions.

Elorza, 38, was arrested in June 2015, 10 years after police raided his clinic in Medellin, Colombia in 2005.

During the raid, they discovered ten dogs, three of them with three kilograms of heroin implanted inside them.

The married father-of-two then fled to Spain, where he lived for eight years and worked as a vet for two companies.

In May 2015, he went into hiding in the northwestern town of Santa Comba, after the National Court in the USA authorized his extradition so he could face drugs charges. He was arrested a month later.

Donna, a basset hound (pictured), is one of the dogs that was saved. She was adopted by an officer of the National Police of Colombia (CNP) and his family

Heroina, a rottweiler (left, now and right, after her rescue), was also saved. She became a narcotics dog, working for the CNP

Authorities said the gang had plans to pretend the puppies were show dogs to get them past customs inspectors in America.

The seven surviving dogs that were discovered by officials during the raid grew up and continued living in Colombia.

Donna, a basset hound, is one of the dogs that was saved. She was adopted by an officer of the National Police of Colombia (CNP) and his family.

Heroina, a rottweiler, was also saved. She became a narcotics dog, working for the CNP.

Elorza was also arrested in Spain in 2013 but released while his extradition was being considered.

A Civil Guard spokesman at the time said Elorza's employers spoke highly of him and he had no record of drug-trafficking in Spain.

If convicted of the crimes charged, Elorza faces a mandatory minimum 10-year sentence in prison, and up to life imprisonment.

Officials said the packets (pictured) were then cut out of the puppies, who died in the process from infections caused by the incisions