€320,000 spent on grooming Revenue dogs — but they sniffed out €24m in contraband

Revenue said the canine programme was a key part of the fight against shadow economy activity targeting fraud, illicit trade, smuggling, and organised crime.

The Revenue Commissioners forked out more than €320,000 last year keeping their kennel of sniffer dogs fed, watered, groomed, and in tip-top condition.

But the investment was repaid dozens of times over with the dogs helping in seizures of tobacco, drugs, and cash totalling more than €24m in 2020.