see also: in June 2003:   Government of Sri Lanka Joins Container Security Initiative to Begin Targeting and Pre-Screening Cargo Destined for U.S.   Second Italian CSI Port Operational, La Spezia to Begin Targeting and Pre-Screening Cargo Destined for U.S.   Italy Implements the Container Security Initiative and Begins to Target and Pre-Screen Cargo Destined for U.S.   CBP Enforces CDC Embargo to Prevent Spread of Monkeypox Virus   CBP, Mexican Customs, Rail Officials Dedicate New Rail Inspection Building   Secretary Ridge Announces Container Security Initiative's Phase II   Kingdom of Thailand Joins Container Security Initiative to Target and Pre-Screen Cargo Destined for U.S. ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases

contacts for this news release

Washington, D.C.--The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Bureau, the agency of the Department of Homeland Security responsible for protecting our nation's borders, announced today that it has deployed Chemical Detector Dogs (Chem Dogs) to the borders and ports in order to better detect attempted smuggling of chemical weapons, such as sarin and cyanide.

	An instructor at the Customs and Border Protection Canine Enforcement Training Center demonstrates the abilities of one of the chemical detection dogs. Photo Credit: Gerald L. Nino

"As part of the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection is constantly striving to improve our capabilities to detect weapons of mass destruction that terrorists may attempt to smuggle into the United States," said Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

Bonner adds, "Chem dogs add to our ability to detect and seize chemical weapons at our borders, before they reach intended targets in the interior of the United States. These dogs are helping to protect America and our homeland."

After receiving basic training and certification at the Canine Enforcement Training Center, in Virginia, CBP began deploying the chem dogs. It is the first time chem dogs have been used at our nation's borders.

U.S. Customs, now CBP, began training chemical detector dogs early last year through its Canine Enforcement Training Center. CBP received assistance in this endeavor from several agencies including the Department of Justice and the Center for Domestic Preparedness. Although the initial chem dogs were trained at Fort McClellen, Alabama, future chem dogs will be trained at the Canine Enforcement Training Center.

CBP's Canine Enforcement Training Center is considered the "Ivy League" of detector dog schools. It has been on the cutting edge of developing new detector dog capabilities to enhance and broaden the use of these canines for enforcement and security missions at our borders--especially now, in terms of safeguarding America from the international terrorist threat. Detector dogs were first introduced by U.S. Customs on a wide scale in 1970 as part of a major effort to interdict narcotics being smuggled through major air/sea and land border ports.

These dogs are currently serving in the field, working along side their handlers, in the border environment at our nation's ports and land border entry points. The chem dogs can detect chemical weapons on a pre-release basis. They are trained to sniff out specific odors, non-lethal components of a chemical. When they detect the trained odor they alert the handler, trace the odor back to the source and respond by sitting.

CBP looks for dogs that are both focused and playful to train in detecting contraband. Labrador Retrievers, Belgian Malinois, and German Shepherds are some of the breeds that have proven successful in this endeavor.

More information on the Customs Canine Enforcement Program can be found on the CBP Web site at www.cbp.gov.