Robbie the Springer and the rest of the Customs’ canny canine squad sniffed out €17million worth of criminals’ drugs and tobacco at ports and airports last year.
The work of the 19 specially-trained dogs was invaluable in the Revenue Commissioners’ battle against illegal drugs and tobacco smuggling.
The team’s star is Robbie, a brown and white springer spaniel, who was the top dog again this year in a massive drugs haul that saw him sniff out over €6million worth of drugs in one go.
The latest figures on the success of Robbie and his squad were obtained by Social Democrats co-leader, Catherine Murphy, for the Irish Mirror.
Ms Murphy commended the great work of all involved and said it was a “great example of man, or woman, and best friend, dog, working together.”
Ms Murphy asked the Minister for Finance in a Parliamentary Question for details on the amounts seized by the ‘dog detector unit’ of the Revenue Commissioners last year.
And she asked if there were any plans to recruit more top dogs to the elite unit.
A spokesman for the Minister of Finance supplied the response.
He said: “I am advised by Revenue that it currently operates 19 Dog Detector Teams, which includes one team working on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
“A further 7 posts, which are vacant due to staff movements, are in the process of being filled.”
Statistics in relation to seizures by the Teams set out the stashes found in 2019. The info excludes food seizures achieved by the team operating on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Robbie and his colleagues sniffed out 330 kgs of hash worth €6.5million, just over a kilo of cocaine worth €80,000 and another €6,350,000 worth of amphetamines, such as ecstasy and speed.
The seizures also nabbed more than 6.5million kgs of cigarettes and cigars, along with almost 500 kgs of ordinary tobacco worth another combined €4million.
The Finance spokesman added: “Revenue has confirmed to me that the current number of Dog Detector Teams meets its operational needs. “However, the requirement is kept under review, having regard to ongoing risk assessment and evolving operational needs.”
