Sniffer dog helps unravel Ayrshire shop's illicit tobacco operation worth thousands

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A specialist sniffer dog helped unravel an Ayrshire shop's illicit tobacco operation.Talented pooch Boo teamed up with South Ayrshire Council's Trading Standards as they launched a crackdown of an Ayr business.And the crime-fighting K9 was able to sniff out a huge haul worth thousands after concerns were raised by the public about the dodgy dealings.Boo, a three-year-old Labrador/ German Wirehaired Pointer helped the seizure of 128 packets of cigarettes worth £1,632 and 1.35kg pouches of tobacco worth a potential retail value of £789.75.Council crews worked with police and Boo, the Consumer Protection tobacco detection dog to uncover the goods.A spokesperson for South Ayrshire Council said: "Our Trading Standards and Environmental Health team recently received a number of complaints from members of the public and local businesses advising that illicit tobacco was being sold from a shop in Ayr.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now.Get all the local news in your area – plus features, football news and the latest on the coronavirus crisis – at your fingertips 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories while you can customise your page with the sections that matter to you.The Ayrshire Live app is available to download now on iOS and Android."The team worked in partnership with Police Scotland and Boo, the Consumer Protection tobacco detection dog, to seize a large quantity of illicit tobacco and cigarettes from the shop last week. "If you have concerns regarding counterfeit or illegal goods being sold in the area, please contact our Trading Standards and Environmental Health team by emailing trading.standards@south-ayrshire.gov.uk or call 0300 123 0900." Don't miss the latest