Chinese Police Enlist Drug-Sniffing Squirrels

Forget hounds. Chinese police are releasing squirrels.

Chongqing Law Enforcement Agency It has reportedly announced that it is training a team of drug-sniffing squirrels to help spot illegal drugs and contraband.

insider report The city’s police dog unit in southwestern China “now has a team of six squirrels to help sniff out drugs from every nook and cranny in warehouses and vaults.”

according to insider“The Chongqing Municipal Police told state media The Paper that these squirrels are small and agile and can scrounge small spaces in warehouses and storage units that dogs cannot reach,” police said. A claw that scratches the box to alert the handler in case. ”

“Squirrels have a very good sense of smell, but the technology of training rodents for drug investigations in the past is not yet mature,” said Chongqing’s river public security bureau’s police canine unit. ‘s handler Yin Jin said. Chinese state-run English-language newspaper quotes global times.

“Our proprietary training system can be applied to training different animals,” added Yin.

In contrast to drug dogs, says the paper, “because they are small and agile, they are good at searching for drugs at high altitudes.”

according to insider, “Chinese drug-sniffing squirrels are likely the first of their kind,” but “animals and insects other than dogs are also used to detect dangerous substances like explosives.” It has been”.

“In 2002, the Pentagon supported a project to use honeybees to detect bombs. I’m helping you find it.” insider report. “It is unclear whether the Chongqing police plan to expand the Lisu drug detection unit.It is also unclear how often the Lisu squad will be deployed.”

China is known for its strict and punitive drug laws.

according to the announcement Health and Human Rights Journal, “drug use [in China] It is an administrative offense, not a criminal offense. However, individuals detained by public security authorities are subject to compulsory or coercive “treatment.” ”

The magazine explains: “This approach has been the subject of widespread condemnation, including repeated calls over the past decade by United Nations (UN) agencies, UN human rights experts, and human rights groups to replace the base. Between 2012 and 2018, the number of people in China’s compulsory drug detention centers remained virtually unchanged, while the number registered for compulsory community-based treatment increased sharply. bottom.”

“In addition to these approaches, the government will also screen all people detained by public security authorities for drug use in China under the Drug User Internet Dynamic Control and Early Warning System, or Dynamic Control System (DCS). enter into the system called the journal continues“This is a reporting and monitoring system launched by the Ministry of Public Security in 2006. Individuals are enrolled in the system regardless of whether they are dependent on drugs or are subject to criminal or administrative detention. Some individuals who may be stopped by law enforcement but have not been formally detained may also be enrolled in DCS.”

The dynamic control system “monitors the movement of people within the system and alerts the police if, for example, an individual uses their identification when registering at a hotel, or while working at a government agency or bank. It serves as an extension of China’s anti-drug efforts, such as mobile phone registration, higher education applications, or travel, according to the magazine.