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Police credit work of its K-9 unit

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The police are reporting a high success rate in methods currently being used to identify and catch would-be drug traffickers passing through the country’s main ports.
This is being attributed to the efforts of the Royal Police Force’s K-9 unit.
Senior Sergeant Lendon Isaacs, head of the unit, said that there has been a reduction in the frequency of drugs trafficked through the V.C. Bird International Airport, Antigua Port Authority and the Deep Water Harbour, since the dogs were deployed at these locations.
“There are a number of times when we would have conducted a manual search and found nothing. But whenever we carry the dogs, it is amazing as to some of these areas where things can be concealed,” Isaacs said during an interview on the Patrol Duty programme.
The police officer said that on one or more occasions, drugs were found in speaker boxes, mails, barrels, and it is commendable that the dogs are able to locate the illegal substances.
The officer was giving a breakdown of the recent successes of the department and the role the unit plays in curbing crime in Antigua and Barbuda.
Senior Sergeant Isaacs said the unit also successfully conducted a series of joint operations with the Organisation of Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy (ONDCP) and other departments within the police force.
In July 2017, the unit was also credited with finding alive, 68-year-old Frances Ann “Annie” Jules, who went missing from her home.
The specially trained dogs were able to quickly track down the elderly woman who was found dehydrated and was admitted to hospital for observation.
Currently there are 8 dogs and 16 handlers in the unit, which operates from a wing at the Police Headquarters, located on American Road.
The K-9 unit was re-established several years ago, to assist law enforcement officers to combat modern drug smuggling.