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Airport sniffer dogs find cheese and sausages – but fail to spot drugs Airport sniffer dogs find cheese and sausages – but fail to spot drugs
(about 5 hours later)
The canine companions of airport security staff in Manchester are quick to spot sausages and cheese in passengers’ luggage but are failing to sniff out class A drugs. The canine companions of airport security staff in Manchester are quick to spot sausages and cheese in passengers’ luggage but are failing to sniff out class A drugs, a report has found.
A highly critical report has found that sniffer dogs at Manchester airport have failed to root out any stashes of drugs and ill-gotten cash. Inspectors said sniffer dogs at Manchester airport have failed to find any drugs or illegally smuggled cash. The report also found there were major faults with immigration controls, which allowed scores of passengers into the UK without the correct border checks.
The dogs failed to find a single person carrying heroin or cocaine over the border during a six-month period studied by the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration. But one dog, trained to detect illegal animal products, often found “small amounts of cheese or sausages” carried by holidaymakers, the report said. The dogs failed to spot a single person carrying heroin or cocaine over the border during a six-month period studied by the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration. But one dog, trained to detect illegal animal products, often found “small amounts of cheese or sausages” carried by holidaymakers, the report said.
Inspectors said that although heroin and cocaine were assessed as “very high priority” for the search team, no class A drugs had been found by the dogs between November 2014 and June 2015.Inspectors said that although heroin and cocaine were assessed as “very high priority” for the search team, no class A drugs had been found by the dogs between November 2014 and June 2015.
The review assessed border checks at the airport and the Home Office, which oversees the checks, said improvements must be made. Some recommendations had already been implemented, it added. The review assessed airport border checks by 286 staff, and the Home Office, which oversees the checks, said improvements must be made. Some recommendations had already been implemented, it added.
The airport, the UK’s third largest, has six detector dogs and new kennels, which cost £1.25m. One dog made “accurate detections” - but most were of cheese or sausages, which the report said was a poor return on the annual cost of running the canine team. The airport, the UK’s third largest, has six detector dogs and new kennels, which cost £1.25m. One dog made “accurate detections” – but most were of cheese or sausages, which the report said was a poor return on the annual cost of running the canine team.
Over the period the dogs helped seize more than 46,000 cigarettes, 60kg of tobacco, 181kg of illegal meat and £28,000 in cash. The dogs were successful on three occasions at detecting illegal drugs, finding small amounts of class B substances. They also found tablets of human growth hormone, Viagra and Bromazepam. Over the period, the dogs helped seize more than 46,000 cigarettes, 60kg of tobacco, 181kg of illegal meat, and £28,000 in cash. The dogs successfully detected illegal drugs on three occasions, finding small amounts of class B substances. They also found tablets of human growth hormone, Viagra and Bromazepam.
“A senior manager agreed that there was a lack of innovation in the use of the dogs, and told us that a new management structure was being put into place to take a fresh look at their deployment,” the report said. “A senior manager agreed that there was a lack of innovation in the use of the dogs and told us that a new management structure was being put into place to take a fresh look at their deployment,” the report said.
Other elements of border checks were also reviewed, with the report finding that:Other elements of border checks were also reviewed, with the report finding that:
• A “significant number” of Border Force staff at the airport were not fully trained in immigration work, leading to “delays and inefficiencies in the processing of passengers”. A number of passenger entries were also questioned in the report. These included:
• Some staff were called upon to supervise immigration functions at a terminal for a shift “without the relevant immigration knowledge or training”.
• There was a “control breach” in April 2015 when passengers from a delayed flight were “misdirected through an unmanned immigration control”. Managers “acted decisively” to deal with the breach.
Elsewhere, it praised Border Force’s work in areas including the safeguarding of children, and said the force was “actively involved” in tackling issues such as human trafficking.
A Home Office spokesman said inspectors recognised staff at the airport were conducting “all required checks at passport control”.A Home Office spokesman said inspectors recognised staff at the airport were conducting “all required checks at passport control”.
He added: “However, we acknowledge that further improvements need to be made. We welcome the report’s findings and accept all the recommendations – many of which, including a new recruitment and training programme, are already being implemented,” the spokesman added. He added: “However, we acknowledge that further improvements need to be made. We welcome the report’s findings and accept all the recommendations, many of which, including a new recruitment and training programme, are already being implemented,” the spokesman added.
A Manchester airport spokesman said staff “work extremely closely” with Border Force and “support their work to address the issues raised in this report”. A Manchester airport spokesman said staff “work extremely closely” with the Border Force and “support their work to address the issues raised in this report”.