Sniffing Out the Fake Drugs
Finnish customs agents have borrowed a trained drug sniffing dog with an expertise in counterfeit medicine to patrol baggage and mail.
A fluffy black and white spotted dog, named Springer, has been trained to identify narcotics, like pungent smelling hashish, as well as scents indiscernible to the human nose, like fake erectile dysfunction medication.
Image courtesy of Finnish Customs
Finnish customs agents have borrowed a trained drug sniffing dog with an expertise in counterfeit medicine to patrol baggage and mail.
A fluffy black and white spotted dog, named Springer, has been trained to identify narcotics, like pungent smelling hashish, as well as scents indiscernible to the human nose, like fake erectile dysfunction medication, by Dutch dog trainer, Nico Beef, reports YLE Finnish News.
Finnish customs have engaged Springer and his handler to detect fake drugs and narcotics at the airports inspecting baggage and international airmail deliveries.
Finns annually purchase more than 44 million euros of fake drugs and medicines, mostly via the internet and mailed.
”Consumers believe they receive what they ordered but this is not always the case,” notes Customs Chief Inspector Kirsi Taipale.
Scanning and random searches are the methods employed by Finnish customs officials to detect counterfeit drugs. Most fakes originate from India but manufacturers have been found in Austria and Britain.
Between 3 and 30 packages of counterfeit pills and drugs are found daily by officials.
Says the Finnish Customs office, “The smuggling of drugs, illicit medicinal substances and cigarettes has increased continuously and will be increasing further along with the new substances, transport methods and routes developed by criminal groups. To prevent smuggling and the distribution of illegally imported products to street sale is one of the key tasks of Finnish Customs.”