14 June 2011
The Customs and Immigration Service has recently acquired a new drug detector dog. Barley an 18 month old, male yellow Labrador became fully operational on the 26th May 2011.
Sourced through the Service’s contacts within the UK Border Agency, the dog was obtained despite the competing demands of the 2012 Olympics which require detector dogs to police security.
Barley, and his new handler, undertook a rigorous 10 week training programme before being assessed by a UKBA inspector. Both passed the course with distinction. Barley has already been responsible for 3 drug seizures involving personal amounts of cannabis.
The current dog team consisting of a handler and Forrest, a black Labrador, also passed their 10th licence and have been accredited to work for a further 12 months. This is a significant milestone and is testimony to the commitment of those involved with maintaining the high standards required by the inspector.
Michael Robinson, Head of Service said “The introduction of the new dog is a valuable addition to the Services Dog Section and doubles its strength. The section is an important element of our anti-smuggling capability and represents a significant investment in terms of money and resources which has already begun to pay dividends."
gov.je