The newly formed Tobacco Detector Dog Team comprises four sub-teams, with each having a dog handler and a detector dog.

They have been deployed to the airport, land boundary control points and container terminals to provide effective support to the department in combating tobacco smuggling activities.

The detector dogs are able to assist officers to carry out efficient and effective assessment on cargo consignments carried by large conveyances.

Coupled with intelligence analysis and risk management, clearance efficiency and enforcement capability to intercept illicit cigarettes at the control points will be greatly enhanced, customs said.

Apart from training the current four types of detector dogs, namely drug detector dogs, explosive detector dogs, cash detector dogs and firearm detector dogs, customs' canine force has self-developed a tobacco detector dog training program for the first time to train the detector dogs to intercept tobacco.

After training, the tobacco detector dogs can sniff out different types of tobacco products, including cigarettes and cigars, in a bid to assist officers to combat illicit cigarette activities on all fronts.

The tobacco detector dogs this time were selected from the Springer Spaniel puppies bred under the canine breeding co-operation between Customs and the Fire Services Department in February last year.

They received regular training for 12 weeks when they reached one years old and officially became tobacco detector dogs after passing examinations.