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Customs Calls for Dedicated Canine Unit to Bolster Border Security
The Comptroller of Customs has issued a call for the establishment of a dedicated canine unit to support Antigua and Barbuda’s efforts to combat smuggling and enhance border security, citing growing risks at ports and vulnerabilities in enforcement capacity.
Speaking during an interview on ABS TV’s First Look on Wednesday, Raju Boddu said the Customs Division currently relies on joint operations with the police, but lacks its own K9 team, which he described as a critical gap in the country’s national security framework.
“We greatly feel the lack of our own canine unit… At least we need four animals to really guard our ports,” Boddu said.
The Customs chief explained that having in-house canine resources would allow for faster response times and more efficient interdiction operations, particularly when acting on time-sensitive intelligence. He warned that waiting to coordinate with external agencies can lead to missed opportunities.
The remarks come amid heightened concerns about Antigua and Barbuda’s exposure to international drug trafficking routes, including a recent case where narcotics traced to the country were discovered in Canada. Boddu pointed to that incident as an example of why customs should play a more proactive role in screening outbound cargo.
“Security cannot be compromised at any point or at any cost. National security is paramount,” he added.
Boddu suggested that dual-layer screening protocols, already in place at airports in other countries, should be adopted locally—where both airport security and customs officers conduct separate scans of cargo and passenger baggage.
In addition to the canine unit, the Customs Division is also seeking to enhance marine enforcement, particularly around nearshore areas frequented by small fishing vessels and yachts. These vessels currently fall outside standard customs clearance requirements, a legal loophole Boddu said represents a “blind spot” in enforcement.
The Customs Division is also working to secure technical and financial support from international donors to implement a Single Window electronic trade facilitation system, aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in import processing.
Boddu maintained that these investments—spanning technology, staffing, and security—are essential to protecting the country’s borders and upholding its fiscal integrity.
“We are operating in a high-risk environment. The criminal gangs have evolved, and we must evolve faster.”
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Me been a wonder why we never had sniffin dogs at de port long time!
Hope proper training and resources come with it—not just a photo op.
Yes man! Let dem dog dem do dem job. Dem nose sharp sharp!
Will this unit be stationed at both the airport and the seaport?
Dem smugglers nah go like dis one bit. Time fuh clamp down!
I hope the dogs are treated well and given proper care.
No! No! I say in conjunction with the police, you can’t put someone in charge of their own adjudication when custom officers may be complicit in some instances, a tripartite body with the ONDCP,police and customs sounds more like it to negate any impropriety or corporation between criminals and government officials.