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THE CANINE TEAMS
“A CRUCIAL RESOURCE FOR
THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUG
TRAFFICKING AND CIGARETTE
SMUGGLING”
Romanian National Customs
Authority
ROMANIA
ROMANIA
2000 –
OVERVIEW / HISTORY
the Romanian customs administration initiates the program for the formation and use of
canine teams, as a part of the UNDCP-Phare program; four canine teams, specialized in
the detection of drugs, were prepared with the support of the German and French
customs authorities.
2001 – Within the same UNDCP-Phare program, the Romanian customs administration
increases the number of its canine members, by six more anti-drug dogs. The new
canine teams were formed at the National School of Customs Brigades – LaRochelle,
France.
2004 – Based upon the analysis of drug trafficking and consumption in Romania, the customs
administration adopts a policy meant to strengthen the anti-drug control, which is why it
establishes the Dog Training Centre - Giurgiu. The main purpose of this training centre is
to form canine teams and to maintain their professional training level at all times.
2005-2008 – Twenty canine anti-drug teams are prepared.
ROMANIA
2008 –
OVERVIEW / HISTORY
After Romania’s accession to the European Union, a substantial part of the national
border has become also the border of the Community customs territory. This has
determined an increase of the illicit trade and smuggling with cigarettes and tobacco
products in the relevant areas.
In order to be able to fight against these phenomena, securing thereby the protection of
the national and the Community economic interests, the Romanian customs
administration has aimed at the improvement, diversification and extension of the
available operational fighting methods, by developing a project of formation of canine
teams - specialized in the detection of cigarettes and tobacco products,
specifically the formation of ten canine anti-tobacco teams.
This project was launched at the end of 2008, as a result of the financial support granted
by British American Tobacco (Romania) and of the cooperation with the customs
administration in Hungary, which has provided the formation of three canine teams.
ROMANIA
2010 –
–
2011 –
–
OVERVIEW / HISTORY
Within the same project, financed by British American Tobacco (Romania), seven more
canine anti-tobacco teams were formed at the dog training centre of the Romanian
customs administration;
The initiation of a new project, financed by Japan Tobacco International (Romania),
having as objective the formation of 30 canine anti-tobacco teams:
- 2011 – the formation of 20 anti-tobacco teams
- 2012 – the formation of 10 anti-tobacco teams
Twenty canine anti-tobacco teams were formed, as a part of the project financed by JT
International (Romania);
A Cooperation Protocol was concluded with the National Prison Administration for
training personnel specialized in fighting against drug and mobile phone trafficking in
prisons, under which technical support for selecting the service dogs was granted;
ROMANIA
2012 –
–
2013 –
OVERVIEW / HISTORY
Eight canine anti-tobacco teams were formed, as a part of the project financed by Japan
Tobacco International (Romania);
Eight canine anti-drug teams were formed, for the National Prison Administration in
Romania;
Based upon the same cooperation protocol, the customs administration has formed eight
other canine teams specialized in the detection of mobile phones, for the National Prison
Administration in Romania.
ROMANIA
CANINE TEAMS – A PART OF OPERATING
STRUCTURES
Canine teams are a means to effectively fight drug
trafficking and directed against specific controls are used
on all transport vectors and enclosures:
- road (both border customs offices and on the road, in
the work of the mobile teams)
- naval
- aircraft (cargo and passenger)
- rail (especially train travel)
- postal and courier references under
- deposits
- house searches (actions with police)
ACTIVITY AND RESULTS OF
THE CANINE TEAMS IN 2013
ROMANIA
Confiscated cigarettes
Inspe
ctions
(pcs.)
19691
2511120
(RON
value)
1574763
Confiscated
alcohol
(RON
value)
(litre)
9981
484046
Confiscated
tobacco
(kg)
13608
Other confiscated /
seized goods
(RON
value)
311884
Confiscated
cars
PVC
(RON
value)
(No)
- metal detector parts
- seized goods (L344)
amounting to EUR
4,801,692
+
USD
87,195
- confiscated goods
amounting to RON
756,793
63
646228
477
Value of
the fines
(RON)
Felonies
Prohibited drugs
/substances
66
- 160.4 g of hashish
- 48 pots of
Cannabis plants
- 10.7 g cannabis
resin
- 30 tb steroids
- 1560 tb anabolic
substances
- 175 ampoules of
Testosterone
1787453
TOTAL VALUE OF FINES AND CONFISCATED GOODS
Confiscated cigarettes
RON 1,574,763 = EUR 349,947
Confiscated alcohol
RON 484,046
= EUR 107,565
Confiscated tobacco
RON 311,884
= EUR 69,307
Cars
RON 646,228
= EUR 143,606
Fines total value
RON 1,787,453 = EUR 397,211
Other confiscated goods
RON 756,793
TOTAL
RON 5,561,167 = EUR 1,235,812
= EUR 168,176
ROMANIA
CONCLUSIONS
Considering the results obtained by the canine teams in 2013, in relation with the costs incurred for
supporting their activity, we might conclude that the canine teams represent an efficient method for
preventing and fighting against the customs frauds, drug trafficking and smuggling in general:
Canine
teams
The value of the fines charged and goods
confiscated by the customs officers who are part
of the canine teams
The costs for supporting the control activity performed by
the canine teams
43
EURO 1.235.812
EURO 101.446
Furthermore, in 2013, the activity of the canine teams was materialized in 9 detections of drugs and
substances having a special regime (prohibited).
The acknowledgement of the high quality level of the professional training of the customs canine
teams, proven by the detection of drugs / cigarettes and by the conduct expressed during the
inspections, have determined the institutions having duties with regard to the fight against the drug
trade and fiscal evasion, specifically the directions and departments of the Ministry of Justice and of
the Ministry of Administration and Internal Affairs, to require support for the development of
operative interventions and for the training of their own canine teams. We would like to specify that
in 2013, the customs administration has operated a professional training program for the National
Prison Administration, under which eight canine teams were formed, specialized in the detection of
mobile phones, such program being a first in Romania.
ROMANIA
PERSPECTIVES FOR
2014-2015
Strengthening the fighting capacity of the
General Customs Direction against the illicit
drug trade and cigarette smuggling, by
increasing the number of canine teams.
For this goal, we have a project in course of
development, financed by JT International
(Romania), under which 12 canine teams with
double specialization – the detection of drugs
and cigarettes - shall be formed.