News

Devon Trading Standards officers seized illegal tobacco products and vapes with an estimated value of over £166,000 during a joint operation with Devon & Cornwall Police, all thanks to Griff the specialist tobacco detection dog from Pembrokeshire based B.W.Y Canine Ltd. 

On Friday 29th December, B.W.Y Canine Ltd finished the year with an unexpected trip to Manchester, to join two stars of UK television on the BBC breakfast sofa.

Stuart Phillips and tobacco and vape detection dog Griff joined Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt to talk about recent enforcement operations with Staffordshire Trading Standards. 

Sandwell Council teams and West Midlands Police, supported by Cooper the sniffer dog from Pembrokeshire based B.W.Y Canine Ltd, recently carried out a raid at a shop in West Bromwich. Cooper the Fox red Labrador is one of very few specialist detection dogs in the UK, trained to locate illegal, over-sized vape products, which comes in very handy when retail shops try to hide their illegal vapes in sophisticated concealments. 

One of the most sophisticated illegal tobacco concealments to be found in the North East was discovered by Cooper, a highly trained detection dog working for Wales based company B.W.Y Canine Ltd. Trading standards officers say the brick-built working barbie, which could be lifted up and down by remotely operated hydraulics, concealed a wooden chest full of cigarettes. It was one of the most sophisticated contraptions for hiding tobacco they had ever found.

My reason for posting this video and write up is because I fear handlers are relying on a TFR (trained final response) from their detection dog, influenced by trainers who do only train, trainers who have never been under pressure on a live operation to find the drugs, tobacco, cash, or firearms. Of course, it depends on what the handler is doing with their detection dog, and some might argue that my post it not relevant, especially to people who only do scent work or detection activities for fun.

Read the full blog here, by Stu Phillips, a multi award-winning detection dog trainer, handler and instructor.

Are detection dogs being trained correctly for their role and do you know the operational standards for the job you are training your dog for.

A Detection Dog Blog by Stu Phillips

Over 248,520 illegal cigarettes and 84.35Kgs of tobacco have been seized in Kent thanks to specialist detection dogs from Wales based B.W.Y Canine Ltd. A team of five dogs supported the large multi-agency operation, code named Operation Puggle, during two days of action in Gravesened, Kent.

Tobacco detection dogs Bran, Yoyo, Cooper and Griff together with bank note detection dog Maggie made a huge impact on the sale and distribution of illegal tobacco and cigarettes. The dog are handled by Stuart Phillips who has an enviable reputation as a multi-award winning detection dog trainer in the UK. 

An Eastbourne illegal tobacco seller has been given a custodial sentence after being caught hiding illegal tobacco by specialist detection dog Yoyo.

Nezar Shaban Hadi was convicted at Hove Crown Court following an investigation into his store, Little Convenience, by a specialist tobacco search dog and officers from East Sussex Trading Standards Service. 

A question I often get asked, "can a detection dog screen shipping containers effectively without having to use air sampling equipment" ?

My answer is without a doubt, yes, detection dogs from my experience are the best way to screen shipping containers and I don't believe an air sampling kit is needed.