Revenue dogs help sniff out record €75m worth of drugs and tobacco 

The detector dogs live with their handlers and are stationed at strategic locations around the country, which enable them to be deployed at ports, airports and postal depots.

Revenue’s team of 25 sniffer dogs detected a record quantity of drugs and illicit tobacco last year, resulting in the seizure of over €75m worth of contraband and €322,000 in criminal cash.

The haul of €52m worth of drugs and €23.1m worth of illegal cigarettes were the highest annual figures on record for detector-dog-assisted seizures and were almost double the previous two years combined.

Records released under the Freedom of Information Act show that €14.7m in drugs and €8.4m in illicit tobacco was seized with the help of sniffer dogs in 2020, along with €902,000 in cash.

In 2019, detector dogs were responsible for €13m worth of drugs and €3.8m worth of illegal cigarettes being seized by Revenue, as well as €373,000 in criminal cash.

The team of sniffer dogs is comprised of 12 Labradors, nine springer spaniels as well as a collie, a cocker spaniel, and a Brittany gundog. Their names include Bear, Elvis, Merlin, Waffle and Laddie.

Individual performance statistics in relation to the dogs remains a closely guarded secret for operational and security reasons so they collectively take credit for each successful seizure.

The detector dogs live with their handlers and are stationed at strategic locations around the country, which enable them to be deployed at ports, airports and postal depots.

They also regularly assist other agencies such as An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau in specific operations, and their detections lead to successful convictions and the disruption of criminal trafficking activity.

Frontline dogs

A Revenue spokeswoman said the dogs and their handlers operate on the “front lines” and are “an integral element of our enforcement approach”.

Some are single-scented, while others are multi-scented and can be trained to detect an array of illicit materials. Certain dogs on the team can detect the four main ‘street drugs’ — amphetamine, heroin, cocaine and cannabis — while others are specifically trained to detect tobacco and cash.

“All our Revenue detector dogs are trained to be multi-purpose; this means that they are deployed to screen both people and freight,” said the spokeswoman. 

“They can be involved in screening passengers or postal packages, searching warehouses, commercial or private premises, all types of vehicles, freight consignments, and air or sea passenger baggage.” 

A canine detector team can thoroughly search an average warehouse in about 30 minutes, while the same task could take four or five officers up to two hours to complete, she added.

And when the time comes for the detector dogs to hang up their Customs harness, they can look forward to a pleasant retirement, as they usually remain in the care of their handlers, the spokeswoman said.