Narcotics detection getting broad-based, 17 pups under training

Tamil Nadu government’s aim to have sniffer dogs specialised in detecting narcotic substances in all cities/districts has gained momentum as 17 out of the 35 pups sanctioned for the initiative are currently being trained at three centres.

Of the 17 pups, seven are undergoing training in Chennai, eight in Coimbatore (in two batches of four) and two in Madurai.

Officials in the know of the development said that training of four pups is expected to begin soon and 14 more pups will be procured for training at the three centres, based on availability of slots.

It was in a budget session on June 29, 2024, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the government’s plan to have dogs trained to detect narcotics in all cities/districts. The State government sanctioned ₹52.66 lakh in November 2024 towards the purchase and maintenance of 35 pups for six commissionerates (city police), namely Tiruppur, Tirunelveli, Avadi, Salem, Tiruchi and Madurai, and for 29 districts (rural police), including Nagapattinam, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, the Nilgiris, Salem, Coimbatore and Tiruppur.

At present, sniffer dogs trained to detect narcotics are available with dog squads in Perambalur, Theni, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Government Railway Police (2), Chennai city, Coimbatore city, Madurai city and Tamil Nadu Commando School and Narcotic Intelligence Bureau CID (NIB-CID) branches in Tiruchi, Madurai and Coimbatore.

Speaking to The Hindu, A. Amalraj, Additional Director-General of Police, Enforcement Bureau-CID, said the plan to have sniffer dogs trained to detect narcotics in all districts is to curb the sale and circulation of drugs.

He said that the new pups will be trained to detect a variety of narcotics, ranging from conventional drugs like ganja to synthetic drugs.

Personnel with the dog squad in Coimbatore said random checks are being conducted with its sniffer dog (narcotics) at railway platforms and other places, to keep the dog active with regular field work and clamp down on drugs, as per the instructions of City Police Commissioner A. Saravana Sundar.

The K-9 squad training centre in Coimbatore has 15 kennels. Chennai and Madurai have eight kennels each. The duration of the training is six months, during which the handlers from their respective city/district will have to stay at the centres.