China's New Airline Drug Sniffing Dog Detectives Edit

Dogs that serve as detectives seem to be a consistent trend at Beijing airports these days. Read on for more details about a very interesting and dedicated furry group of drug-detecting cops.

More than 200 dogs, wearing uniforms emblazoned with “Quarantine Detective Dog” aided security measures utilized during the Beijing Olympics. Two Labrador Retrievers, named Weite and Haige, however, have assumed some new responsibilities. They have been officially deputized as cabin crew detectives for the purpose of hunting down passengers carrying illegal drugs.

For some unknown reason, the dogs wore special leather shoes as they made history this week, embarking (woof, woof) on their first mission as part of China’s first drug-sniffing dog unit to board airplanes. If a dog smells traces of drugs on a seat, authorities are able to stop the suspect passenger before he or she leaves the airport.

According to Yan Haiqun of the Beijing Customs Anti-Smuggling Bureau:

“The scents are detectable for up to two hours. Labrador retrievers are meek and friendly to people. Their noses are enormously accurate

.”

The report did not say how often the inspections would be carried out or which flights would be targeted. Requests to the Beijing Customs office for information about this and other related topics went unanswered.

For the last decade or so to combat China’s flourishing drug trade, Beijing Customs authorities have used specially trained dogs to sniff out drugs at airports, railway stations and post offices, but this is the first time they have been taken onto planes. It was not clear why the canines wore shoes. Government statistics put the number of known addicts in China at 1.2 million, including 700,000 heroin users, more than two-thirds of them under age 35.

So kudos to Weite and Haige!

Happy sniffing, boys!