Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Customs revealed that it is using the service of as many as 438 police dogs in 26 customs outlets across the Kingdom under the name of “Teams of Living Means.”

Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, sources at the Saudi Customs said that the police dogs carry out several difficult and extremely sensitive tasks.

They work as assistants to customs inspectors, and contribute directly to strict monitoring and detection at customs control by carrying out many tasks of inspecting what arrives in the Kingdom, in addition to extending cooperation to various security sectors.

Saudi trainers with high technical competence are in charge of providing the necessary training to these dogs at the National Center for Living Means under the Saudi Customs in Riyadh.

Replying to queries whether these dogs pose a danger to their trainers, the Customs sources said that there is no danger in dealing with them. They noted that one of the most important elements of training is their non-dangerous and non-aggressive trait.

Referring to the most important characteristics of police dogs, they said that these special breeds of dogs are characterized by the best sense of smell, so that they can detect contraband even if it is mixed with scents and misleading materials, in addition to their speed and flexibility in sniffing.

Their sense of smell can cover 12 meters, and distinguishes the smell and types of drugs with high accuracy. They can identify even the smell of human feelings, such as fear and anxiety, and can hear very low sounds above the human range.

Their night vision is higher with an advanced angle than the view of humans. They detect smuggled goods such as explosives, drugs, weapons, tobacco, currency, and missing persons, of whose scent is provided.

The Riyadh center gives training for a period ranging between two months to four months, and the special breed dogs are imported from several European countries.

It is noteworthy that the Saudi Customs announced last year about using trained police dogs to detect those infected with coronavirus as part of its enhanced precautionary measures and preventive protocols to stem the spread of the pandemic.