Wonder dog a bone of contention for smugglers

A DUTCH dog called Flash has become a big bone of contention for Irish cigarette smugglers.

Dutch customs authorities announced yesterday that the eight-year-old black and white springer spaniel, helped by his buddy, Tazzle, and a crew of four other dogs, stubbed out a whopping half-billion contraband cigarettes which would otherwise have reached Ireland and Britain.

In recent years, Dutch-based Irish drugs dealers have added the trade in illegal cigarettes to their criminal portfolios, according to Dutch police sources.