The State Fiscal Service of Ukraine (SFS) in cooperation with the Ternopil National Economics University (TNEU) held from 11 to 12 May the 3rd International Competition of Canine teams, in Ternopil, Ukraine. The invited canine teams from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine demonstrated their skills on finding concealed drugs, weapons and tobacco products.
Mr. Andriy Krysovatyy, Rector of the University, welcomed the SFS and all participants to this event at the premises of the TNEU, referring to the cooperation with the SFS in different areas, including the training of future Customs officers. Mr. Myroslav Prodan, Acting Commissioner of the SFS also welcomed the guests. He remarked upon the strong political support to the SFS programmes and stressed the importance of cooperation between countries and the WCO and other international organizations for improving capabilities to fight trans-border crimes.
The event included a visit to the WCO Regional Dog Training Centre in Khmelnytskyi. The current training programme with more than 50 courses includes training in classroom, the use of online and offline modules and practical specialised training. In addition, the centre is paving its way to develop and implement even more modern methodology of continuous training of Customs officers. The centre also functions as a training hub for different national enforcement services, which enhances the cooperation of services in combating smuggling and movement of illegal goods across the country.
The competition in Ternopil, the main objectives being to improve professional skills of canine units, to strengthen dog handlers skills on timely detection of illegal products and to exchange experience and knowledge, presented strict criteria for the evaluation of sniffing work by canines on searching for drugs, weapons and tobacco products in passenger cars, buildings, trucks and luggage.
The WCO congratulated SFS on its achievements in providing high quality training to canine units. In a short note the WCO explained the role to support Administrations in achieving higher levels of performance and praised the cooperation between Customs and the Academia as an invaluable partnership for continuous research on Customs matters.