Libya’s Customs Authority announced last Monday that it has imported 30 new sniffer (detection) dogs (K9 / canine) to replace dogs lost since the 2011 revolution.
The Customs Authority explained that this is part of its efforts to continually strengthen and develop the work of customs control by various means, including the use of canines to supporting customs personnel to tighten customs control at all land, sea and air ports.
Sniffer dogs are effective in detecting crime
It explained that sniffer dogs are effective in detecting drug crimes, currency smuggling and other smuggling crimes with a detection rate that exceeds 90 to 95 percent success rate. It said the Authority was one of the pioneers in the use of K9s, but Libya’s force majeure since 2011 exposed its K9 unit in the past to destruction and the death of its dogs.
As a result, and as part of its efforts to rehabilitate the K9 unit, the Authority imported 30 K9s, of which 25 are drug detection specialists and five currency specialists.
Training by the Dutch K9 Centre
As part of the formation and development of the capabilities of customs personnel and to provide them with modern methods in this field, the Customs Authority said intensive and specialized training courses will begin for the targeted members of customs in this unit by certified trainers in charge of the Dutch K9 Centre from 4-20 July 2023.
