A Chinese city has trained a group of squirrels to be able to detect drugs in spaces that are difficult to access, such as warehouses or very high places, the local press reported Thursday.
The six squirrels, of the Eurasian red variety, will assume duties in the fight against drug trafficking in the city of Chongqing, in southwestern China, after their new capacity has been evaluated by various scientific institutions, according to the official newspaper Global. Times. .
“Squirrels have a very good sense of smell,” said Yin Jin, one of the handlers of the dog brigade at the Hechuan District Public Security Bureau in Chongqing.
The specialist assured that the training method they developed is also useful for other animal species and added that the results obtained so far are positive and that the squirrel unit is capable of quickly identifying the presence of drugs.
According to Yin, the squirrels’ size and agility allow the animals to access hard-to-reach areas and high-altitude places that are inaccessible to dogs.
The animals were trained to scratch the surface as a way of signaling to police officers that they detected the presence of drugs.
China’s Ministry of Public Security previously said China has the “world’s strictest drug control system” and the largest number of banned substances.
Large-scale drug trafficking is an offense punishable by death in China.
Considered a “social demon”, in terms of prostitution, the drug is associated with the so-called “century of national humiliation”, which began with the defeat of China in the “Opium War” (1839-42).
Source: TSF
