KUALA LUMPUR: The Customs Department recorded 248 drug-related cases in the first six months of this year, that saw its canines sniffing out RM79.74 million worth of drugs.
Its director-general Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin said its 41 sniffer dogs from its K9 Unit are instrumental in specialised operations designed to intercept and prevent the illicit flow of drugs into the country.
The drug detection dogs played a crucial role in the department's enforcement division operations against narcotics smugglers.
Last year, there were 673 cases with RM372.16mil worth of drugs seized, while in 2022, there were 409 cases with drug seizures valued at RM 65.35 million.
She said 20 new dogs were acquired from India in early June this year.
The Labrador and German Shepherd breeds, which cost RM1.9 million, are attached to the department's enforcement division.
The new assets are undergoing intensive training to prepare them for field duties, in enhancing the department's capacity to combat drug smuggling.
Anis Rizana said the dogs are trained to detect the contraband items hidden on a person's body, luggage, boxes, vehicle compartments, postal parcels, premises, and containers, among others.
"The dogs are able to uncover concealed substances that might otherwise go unnoticed.
"The tailed-enforcers complement scanning machines installed at the country's entry and exit points, by speeding up suspicious cargo inspection and clearance processes," she told the New Straits Times.
She said the dogs provide an additional layer of security thoroughness in screening processes.
They also assist enforcement officers to identify traffickers or drug consignments during random inspections or specialised operations, she said.
She said drug detection dogs are indispensable assets in the fight against drug smuggling.
During a recent visit on July 18 to the Custom's K9 narcotics unit in Jijan in Negri Sembilan, Anis Rizana reviewed the unit's operations and inspected the dogs' kennels.
She also inspected the buildings and their operations procedures.
"I was briefed by the canine's India-based trainers on the specialised training techniques and instructions used," she said.
She added 20 customs officers across the country also underwent training to manage the dogs.
The department K9 Unit's four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles are equipped with cabins and ventilation systems to ensure the dogs' comfort when ferried during operations.
She said it was her responsibility to ensure the department's assets are managed in accordance with the treasury circular on the management of its animal assets.
The Treasury Circular issued by the Finance Ministry, through the Malaysia Treasury, sets out the procedures to be complied with by government agencies.