Judge praises labrador in drug-smuggling case

THE role played by a seven-year- old black labrador in a drugs swoop at Shannon Airport last August was yesterday praised by a circuit court judge.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Donagh McDonagh praised the role played by Customs sniffer dog, Shadow, in detecting cannabis that was contained in a black sports bag on a Ryanair flight from Malaga.

The court heard that prior to Shadow identifying the drugs, Martin Birtwistle, 53, had managed to evade Garda and Customs officials in smuggling drugs on four previous occasions at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports during the previous 12 months.