Boo gives illegal cigarette traders a fright in Ayrshire

The say dog is a man's best friend, but it seems not for those trying to sell illegal cigarettes.

Specially trained canines are being brought in to sniff them out in Ayrshire.

Just last month, Labrador-cross Boo found more than 7,000 in a shop in Cumnock.

The cigarettes were a mixture of counterfeit and ones which were imported without standardised packaging or the legally required health warnings.

Some, known as illicit whites, are produced by criminals abroad specifically for the black market.

They may contain far higher levels of toxins than genuine cigarettes, making them a much higher health risk for users.

The sellers can buy them cheaper than normal cigarettes, undercutting prices offered by other law abiding retailers, while funding the activities of criminals.

They are also not liable for the normal tax, which for 7,000 cigarettes would be around £2,000.

One year-old Boo works with her trainer Bobby Crainey who said, "When you get out there and you get your find, you feel 100ft tall. You're just bursting with pride. The dog knows your happy, the team around you is happy and so she is happy. It's just the best feeling.

"I think one of the biggest finds was at a famous Glasgow market. There was a false wall, at least 10ft by 6ft, that had been built especially to hide cigarettes and tobacco."

But Bobby's dogs can tell the fakes from the genuine products straight away. He adds, "They'll freeze at the closest possible point to the scent, keeping their nose on it. We'll then have a rummage about and 99.9 times out of 100 we'll find tobacco or cigarettes hidden."

Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.