Police to form a ‘K-9 dog squad’ to combat drug trafficking

As part of the government’s anti-drug trafficking efforts, the Ministry of Home Affairs has requested the Maldives Police Service (MPS) form a ‘K9 dog squad’.

Upon the ministry’s request, police will soon begin working on establishing the squad, a police official told today. According to the official, local police officers are to be trained for the squad.

Quoting the ministry, local news outlet CNM has reported that a total of fifteen officers would be trained for the purpose.

Police have earlier worked on bringing sniffer dogs into the country as counter-trafficking measure on several occasions. It was included in the organisation’s strategic action plan 2011 -2013, while in late 2012 Indian assistance was sought in bringing police sniffer dogs.

Dogs were also brought in from Sri Lanka for security operations during the 2011 SAARC Summit held in the Maldives . On that occasion the dogs were handled by Sri Lanka’s police elite special forces unit Special TaskForce (STF).

In October 2002 two sniffer dogs were brought to the Maldives from Sri Lanka, and were used at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport under the supervision of National Security Service – and later the Maldives National Defence Force.

In 2008, the chair of the parliamentary committee on narcotics, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said that, to that day, no drugs were ever confiscated with the help of the two dogs. He said the committee’s investigations found that the dogs were in fact unable to recognize drugs.

Speaking to Minivan News today, an MNDF spokesperson confirmed that the two dogs did not remain in the country, though he was unaware of what had happened to them.

Under the unlawful imports act of 1975, dogs can only be brought into Maldives with a special permission from the Ministry of Defense and National Security.

Local interpretation of Islam is that dogs are impure animals and should not be touched or taken into one’s home. Scholars have declared that touching a dog even accidentally would require any Muslim to wash that part of the body seven times.

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6 thoughts on “Police to form a ‘K-9 dog squad’ to combat drug trafficking”

  1. އަހަރުމެންނަށް ރަގަޅީ ވަލީއަހުދު އަވަހަށް އެންބުރި ދިޔައްޔާ! މާފުއްޓާއި ގުޅީގެ ފަރުމަސް ވެރިކަން ކުރާ ރައްޔަތުންނާއި ފީނާ މީހުން ތިބީ ވަރަށް ހާލުގައި. ވަލީއަހުދުގެ ސެކިއުރިޓީން މުޅިކަނޑުގެ ސަރަހައްދާއި ފަރުތައް ބަނދުކޮށް ފަރުމަސް ވެރިކަމާއި ފީނާމީހުން އެތަނަށް ދިއުން މަނާކޮށްފި. މަސްދޯނިތައް ދެވޭ ވަކި ހިސާބެއް ކަނޑައަޅާ އެމީހުންގެ ރިޒުގުން މަހުރޫމުކޮށްފި. މާފުށީ ކަނޑުއޮޅިން ފެށިގެން ފުށިދިއްގަރު މެދާ ހިސާބަށް ކަނޑުގެ ސަރަހައްދު އެއޮތީ ސައުދީ ސެކުއުރިޓީން އައިސް ބަންދުކޮށްފައި. ނޫސްވެރިއަކަށް މިކަން އެނގޭބާ. މި ދެރަށުގެ މަސްވެރިންނާއި އާއިލާތަކުގެ ހައްގުތައް ކޮބައިބާ. ޗުއްޓީ ހޭދަކުރިއަސް މިއީ ބޮޑުވަރު.

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  2. The fact is that dogs are more intelligent and cleaner than a majority of the maldivians.

    Its actually impure to accidently brush against some of these long haired and bearded maldivians

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  3. This IS the way to go in the means to fight drugs.
    Keeping dogs at the airport alone is not enough - thats not the main corridor where drugs come into Maldives.
    To think that 2 dogs at the airport will find a lot of drugs and do miracles only show how little is known - or the will to know how to use dogs in a tactical and operative way.
    Dogs is a essential tool for the Police and Customs.
    In search of drugs it is proven by international law enforcement agencies that dogs are highly effective.
    But dogs work in teams with their trainer and partner - its a 24/7 partnership and continuous training.

    I strongly support the introduction of dogs to fight drugs.

    Those who say it is not working, does not know what they are talking about or too ignorant to admit it.

    Yet, it has to be a PROFESSIONAL K9 unit and to be taken seriously.

    It WILL work.

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  4. Absolutely correct observer, the dogs has to work in professional team with trainer and partner, not having two dogs running around sniffing, staff and trainers partly afraid of them.

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  5. You have to understand Mordisian psyche.

    The things that enrage, enflame Mordisian clam demeanour and stop rational thoughts are

    1: Christian.
    2: pork
    3: dog.

    When you mention any of the words above to an average man, you better be a few feet away. If he has got a knife, you would be butchered. If he had a bat, you would be pounded to pulp.

    I mean it. Not just sarcasm, but pure and simple truth.

    The words are engrained deep, from childhood, to have this effect. Ironically, the same way a guard dog would respond to a masters command to hunt and bite.

    Mullahs have done a commendable job in convolutions the divine guidance.

    Dogs mean hell. If we even let a dog set foot in the Mordis, all Mordisians will go to hell to be burned live repetitively. And above all we will lose the 72 virgins and rivers of sweetest wine, unlike ever seen on earth.

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