The Sixth WCO Global Canine Forum, hosted by Hong Kong Customs, successfully took place from March 5 – 7, 2024 in Hong Kong, China. The Forum brought together nearly 100 participants from approximately 50 Administrations to share their knowledge, experiences and ongoing work in canine developments.

Distinguished officials Mr. TANG Ping-keung, Secretary for Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr. Pranab Kumar DAS, WCO Director for Compliance and Facilitation, and Ms. Louise HO, Commissioner of Hong Kong Customs officiated the event.

WCO Secretary General Mr. Ian SAUNDERS in his video speech welcomed participants to this unique meeting point. He encouraged attendees to make every use of the knowledge and experiences from the Forum to positively impact their work back home.

Detector dogs are a traditional partner of Customs with a proven track record of working with law enforcement agencies. Their powerful ability to detect molecules in the air and their swift response make them a promising solution to the new and emerging threats faced by Customs in this new era. The Forum sees the potential and effectiveness of detector dogs and recommends that Customs agencies continue to strengthen and expand their canine forces’ capability and capacity. The Forum also supports the WCO’s efforts to establish an international canine standard as a necessary step to foster the modernization of Customs canine forces.

A Meeting of Heads of Regional Dog Training Centre (RDTC) was held on the final day of the Forum. Twenty-seven delegates from 12 RDTCs attended to discuss roles, responsibilities and the unique value of RDTCs to the Customs community. The Meeting also covered the criteria and process for accreditation of RDTCs.