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 SS 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 (CBEC).
"(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
