New Delhi: The Customs department is facing a shortage of sniffer dogs to detect drugs and counterfeit currency and the government is now planning to deploy fresh canines for the job, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam replied with a “Yes” when asked whether the Customs department is reportedly facing shortage of sniffer dogs to detect drugs and counterfeit currencies.
“There are only eleven sniffer dogs presently with Customs department which are deployed to detect drugs at IGI airport New Delhi, CSI airport Mumbai and Amritsar airport,” the Minister said adding that a committee was constituted in this regard and it has recommended certain measures. The major recommendations of the committee on the subject headed by a Chief Commissioner of Customs, including representatives of police and BSF are– a separate special canine detection establishment with sufficient manpower should be set up in Directorate of Logistics under the Central Board of Excise and Customs. “(The committee has) proposed to deploy 79 sniffer dogs and 172 personnel in different grades and both fixed and mobile kennels to be used and dog handlers to be recruited through direct recruitment, with the provision in the recruitment rules to include ex-servicemen,” he said.
The sniffer dog squads available with the department are called in for investigations as and when required at the international border posts. Field formations are also utilising the services of the sniffer dogs available with state police and other government enforcement agencies as and when required, he said. (PTI)