Drivers face sniffer dogs
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• Springer spaniels are being used to sniff out illegal immigrants hidden in trucks and trailers.
Drivers face up to seven years in prison and an unlimited fine if illegal immigrants are detected by the sniffer dogs which are now operating at key ports in southern England.
This follows a 12-month pilot scheme at Dover, during which four dogs detected 150 illegal entrants.
Dogs are normally used to detect drugs; this is the first time they have been employed to track down illegal immigrants on a regular basis.
The eight springer spaniels are based at Dover but make regular visits to Harwich, Felixstowe, Newhaven, Portsmouth, Poole and Southampton.
Spaniels are naturally curious which is said to make them ideal for this role.
• Three Romanian illegal immigrants were arrested in Winnersh, near Reading last week after they were caught cutting their way out of a truck. They have since been deported back to Romania.