A MAJOR component of the Island’s defence against postal drug importations are the early-morning searches carried out each day by a small team of Customs officers.

The team is usually aided by a searchdog handler – and the JEP was recently able to watch two springer spaniels, Viper and Stinger, in action.

Senior Customs manager Paul Le Monnier explained that the dogs were ‘a valuable tool’, because they enabled large amounts of mail to be searched ‘at speed’.

‘We will make use of the dog [alongside] visual examinations by the team.

‘It’s about working out what is legitimate and what is worthy of further examination,’ he added.

Handler Michelle Bouchard said: ‘You can see when they are onto something because there is a change in behaviour.’ To encourage these four-legged detectives to continue working – and as a form of on-the-job training – small quantities of drugs are intentionally placed among parcels as a test.

‘It makes them feel that they can find something and focuses them.

‘To keep the dogs on the odours we want, we need to use the same odours in training and alter the type and quantity,’ Ms Bouchard added.

Selected packages are then subject to a further inspection using an X-ray machine.

‘They [the officers] will make a decision as to whether they want to open something,’ Mr Le Monnier explained.

Dealers try a range of methods to avoid detection, including wrapping their shipments in coffee beans or other strong-smelling substances to disguise the scent of the drugs.

While sorting through suspect packages, officers also come across a variety of unusual – but perfectly legal – deliveries, with dissected toads and live tarantulas among the more unique discoveries.

Mr Le Monnier continued: ‘Depending on how many parcels are singled out, this is the most time consuming part of the process.

‘If we do find drugs we will then commence a proactive investigation, which can vary depending on the quantities involved,’ he continued, adding that this could mean executing search warrants or bringing people in for interviews.

He added that JCIS had a ‘really good working relationship’ with Jersey Post.

‘If they see something that is out of the ordinary they will tell us.

‘The main thing is definitely looking at the trends and then targeting those trends, because you can’t possibly search every bit of mail that comes through.

‘[Something] we do see is the use of the dark web and social-media platforms, which can be more anonymous for those dealing drugs.’ Mark Cockerham, head of the Jersey Customs and Immigration Service, said: ‘No border control is 100% effective at preventing all smuggling activity and even if such a regime were to be implemented it would result in enormous resource requirements and bring the supply chain to a virtual halt.

‘The balance is to have a high level of security yet allow legitimate goods to flow freely through the ports and this includes the postal system. JCIS officers are deployed on a daily basis to the postal sorting depot and we use drugs detector dogs, X-ray equipment and intelligence to ensure that we have an effective control in detecting drugs and take subsequent action on those, both on and off-Island, who are responsible for smuggling drugs.’