It's the BBC Breakfast sofa for Stu Phillips and Griff

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. 

B.W.Y Canine Ltd has been supporting Trading Standards illegal tobacco operations in Staffordshire for several years, but due to the new and developing problem with illegal and over-seized disposable vapes, a new type of detection dog is required. Retail premises involved in the sale and distribution of illegal vapes are developing ingenious hiding places to stash their illegal products and detection dogs like Griff have received additional training to help Trading Standards to locate and identify hidden vapes.

The latest Staffordshire Trading Standards raids targeted a shop in Tamworth, Staffordshire, where illegal vapes were discovered with the help of specialist sniffer dogs, Griff, Bran and Cooper.

Some of the items featured packaging seemingly aimed at children and were shaped like soft drinks cans and displayed branding similar to well known drinks manufacturers.

Vapes, or e-cigarettes, can only be legally sold to those over 18, but the cheaper price of illegal products is particularly attractive to children.

UK laws also cover the ingredients, strength of nicotine and capacity of tanks.

During the recent operations in Staffordshire, a BBC reporter and film crew joined Trading Standards Officers, Police and detection dogs and this is where the story developed and led to Stuart and Griff sitting on the BBC breakfast sofa.

Following their appearance on BBC Breakfast, Stuart Phillips spoke about his time on the famous sofa with detection dog Griff. “It was an absolute honour and privilege to join Naga and Charlie on the BBC Breakfast Sofa on Friday. This is a TV programme with millions of viewers, and for me a dog handler from Pembrokeshire to have 10 minutes of airtime with one of my detection dogs is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was a bit nerve wracking, being on national TV, especially when they asked Griff to perform a search, LIVE in front of millions of viewers. It all went well and was a great experience and I was happy to be there supporting Staffordshire Trading Standards.”

Read more here, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-67836510

And read more on the Staffordshire County Council website, https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Newsroom/Articles/2023/12-December/Over-7000-illegal-vapes-and-cigarettes-seized-from-two-Tamworth-shops.aspx