Raleigh, N.C. — Thor, a hard-working narcotics canine, died after for more than a decade of sniffing out drugs and entertaining school children, the Wake County Sheriff's Office announced Monday.

The 13-year-old Belgian Malinois died from age and health complications, officials said.

Thor had been with the Sheriff's Office since he was 15 months old and, at one time, was the only canine the force had.

"Thor loved to come work," Sheriff Donnie Harrison said. "We will miss his drive and his energy. He worked just as hard on the last day he lived as the first day he came to work for us."

Thor was best known for sniffing out more than 70 pounds of cocaine that had been hidden in the tires of a tour bus. That seizure in July 2007 was the largest drug bust since Harrison took office in 2002.

After performing various duties with the K-9 team, Thor's last assignment was as a narcotics dog. He and his handler, Deputy Roy Wilbourne, worked with the Impact Team, a drug interdiction unit.

Thor and Wilbourne were popular with schools and community groups. They performed K-9 demonstrations for countless school children, summer camps, retirement centers and charity fund raisers.

The Sheriff's Office had scheduled Thor's retirement for last August. However, finding a replacement for him proved more difficult than expected, and Thor worked until the day he died.