Canine Companions Still Essential for Customs Detection Amid AI Advances

Although artificial intelligence and advanced scanning technologies are reshaping border control, customs agencies continue to depend on one of their most historic detection methods: trained dogs.

AI excels at analyzing images and data, spotting patterns, and assisting customs officials in determining which shipments or containers merit deeper inspection.

Nevertheless, customs officials, dog handlers, and specialists from over 50 countries who attended the World Customs Organization’s 7th Global Canine Forum in Tashkent maintained that AI does not eliminate the necessity for scent‑detecting dogs.

Antonio Lo Parco, head of the WCO’s Regional Office for Capacity Building in Europe, told Euronews that dogs have detection capabilities that AI cannot replace.

He added that data gathered from canine inspections can also be fed into AI systems, aiding authorities in recognizing patterns and emerging threats.

Oliver Stolper, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s regional representative for Central Asia, also views the two tools as complementary.

AI can assist customs agencies in pinpointing containers that need closer inspection and in analyzing images for indications of illicit cargo.

Stolper told Euronews, “A dog cannot be replaced; customs organizations continue to rely on them for good reason, as seen in everyday work.”

Experts noted that technology helps narrow the focus, whereas a trained dog adds an extra layer of detection.

The role of detection dogs is also evolving alongside shifts in illicit drug markets.

Jonibek Yusupov, an officer with Uzbekistan’s Agency for the Control of Narcotic Drugs and Firearms, noted that authorities have observed a significant increase in synthetic drugs since the pandemic.

Canine units are now training dogs to identify the scents linked to synthetic narcotic substances.

Yusupov told Euronews, “Relying solely on AI or technology limits us to image analysis; however, narcotic substances emit a detectable odor.”

How a service dog is trained

Uzbekistan’s National Canine Centre has been training dogs and their handlers for three decades.

Founded in 1996, the centre prepares canine teams for customs and other law‑enforcement agencies and earned WCO Regional Canine Centre status in 2008.

The dogs are trained to detect narcotics, psychotropic substances, weapons, ammunition, and explosives, as well as to conduct search‑and‑rescue and tracking operations.

However, not every puppy is suitable for service work.

At about four months of age, puppies bred at the center start working with instructors, who evaluate traits such as their reaction to noise, unfamiliar settings, and heights.

Chief instructor Captain Ahmadjon Goyibov told Euronews, “Not every dog can become a service dog.”

The centre mainly works with German and Belgian Shepherds, Russian Spaniels, and Labradors.

Dogs that succeed in the selection process are gradually introduced to operational environments such as vehicles and railway carriages.

Specialized training typically begins when the dog is around eight months old and continues for six to seven months, with the program tailored to each animal’s temperament.

They are also taught to signal a detection to their handler—for instance, by sitting, lying down, or remaining motionless.

Goyibov dismissed the common misconception that drug‑detecting dogs are made dependent on narcotics or forced to work.

He said, “We never use force against the dogs; we train them exclusively through positive reinforcement, rewarding them with their favorite toy or treat, and never resorting to coercion.”

Toys, especially those containing food or treats, serve as rewards during exercises, teaching the dog to link a successful detection with a positive outcome.

For Goyibov, however, technique alone is insufficient.

He added, “To be an effective canine specialist, one must first love service dogs and animals and be capable of showing them care and affection.”

A regional training centre

Uzbekistan’s center also trains foreign canine teams.

In recent years, 220 handlers from countries such as South Korea, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and Mongolia have undergone training or professional development at the center.

More than 200 service dogs have likewise completed specialized training, with several subsequently deployed by customs agencies outside Uzbekistan.

Elpida Kasapi of the Greek Customs Service said the forum provided participants with the chance to examine WCO criteria for canine training centers and consider how to implement them domestically.

Kasapi told Euronews, “What we are doing here will be extremely useful for us, as it will enable us to acquire knowledge and information that we can apply to the Greek context and our practices in Greece.”

According to Uzbekistan’s Customs Committee, service dogs trained at the center intercepted more than 12 tonnes of narcotic substances between 2023 and the first half of 2026.

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