Equipped with thermal sensors, smart cameras and automated water dispensers, Dubai Customs’ new K9 vehicles are designed to help sniffer dogs as authorities ramp up efforts to combat drug smuggling.
The new fleet of smart vehicles aims to improve anti-drug inspections, speed up field deployments and enhance the welfare of customs dogs.
Dubai Customs launched a new fleet for its K9 Unit to coincide with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and support the UAE’s national anti-drug campaign, launched this year by the National Anti-Narcotics Council under the slogan “Uniting to Eradicate the Scourge”.
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The new fleet forms part of Dubai Customs’ strategy to modernise its customs inspection system and strengthen the operational readiness of its specialised units, including the K9 Unit, which plays a critical role in protecting society and the national economy from attempts to smuggle narcotics and other prohibited substances through the country’s border crossings.
Dubai Customs said the two new vehicles have been built to the highest international standards to meet the operational requirements of the K9 Unit. They are designed to accelerate response times to inspection requests from customs centres, improve field inspection efficiency and provide the highest levels of safety for both handlers and dogs.
The vehicles are equipped with an integrated suite of smart technologies, including cameras that monitor and record the dogs’ movements inside the kennels, driver-attention monitoring systems and thermal sensors that continuously measure kennel temperatures. If temperatures exceed safe limits, instant alerts are sent to both the driver and assistant to safeguard the dogs during field operations.
The vehicles also feature dedicated emergency plates that facilitate rapid access to inspection sites during accidents or heavy traffic. They are currently being electronically linked to Dubai Customs’ main operations room, enabling live monitoring of K9 inspection missions.
Enhanced welfare and operational readiness
To ensure the unit remains fully operational under all conditions, the new onboard kennels have been designed for extended deployments. They feature independent air-conditioning systems, automated water dispensers that deliver controlled amounts of water, and feeding bowls that allow dogs to be fed without leaving the vehicle. Additional features include non-slip flooring, three emergency exits, integrated access ramps, dedicated storage for inspection equipment and a first-aid kit.
The unit currently comprises 28 customs dogs, including 20 trained to detect narcotics and eight specialised in explosives detection. They are handled by 24 officers—20 men and four women—reflecting the diversity of national talent working in this vital security field.
The unit also carried out 341 field deployments in 2023, rising to 419 in 2024, and completed 290 deployments in 2025 to support inspection operations across customs centres.
The K9 Unit operates from a purpose-built facility designed to the highest international standards. The complex includes 54 kennels, five quarantine kennels, five specialised training kennels, a veterinary examination room, training grounds and, following the addition of the new vehicles, a fleet of six dedicated K9 transport vehicles.
Investment in technology and specialised capabilities
Yasser Saeed Al Musallami, Senior Customs Affairs Consultant at Dubai Customs, said the new fleet marks another milestone in Dubai Customs’ ongoing efforts to strengthen customs inspection capabilities and reinforce the K9 Unit’s role as a key pillar of border security.
“Dubai Customs is committed to continuous investment in smart technologies and modern solutions that enhance the capabilities of our inspectors and raise the efficiency of customs operations, in line with international best practices. The new K9 fleet is a qualitative addition to our inspection system, enhancing response speed, supporting field readiness, and providing an integrated operational environment that helps foil attempts to smuggle prohibited substances while protecting society and the national economy,” he said.
Fouad Al Suwaidi, Director of the Technical Support Department at Dubai Customs, said that developing the K9 Unit extends beyond acquiring advanced vehicles to encompass a comprehensive ecosystem that includes training, professional development, and veterinary care to maintain the highest levels of operational readiness.
He added that Dubai Customs continues to invest in specialised training facilities that simulate inspection scenarios across land, sea and air entry points. These include sand, grass and indoor training areas, alongside a veterinary clinic, quarantine facilities and hazardous materials storage rooms, all in line with international best practice for customs K9 operations.
The launch of the new fleet forms part of Dubai Customs’ ongoing efforts to develop its border security infrastructure and equip its specialized units with the latest technologies and operational solutions, strengthening inspectors’ capacity for early detection of narcotics and prohibited substances, consolidating the Department’s role in protecting society, facilitating legitimate trade, and reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global model in border security and combating cross-border organized crime.
Source: Khaleej Times