 Polly is retiring after five years of detecting drugs and money |
A Customs sniffer dog is retiring after a five-year career which has seen her uncover 20 illegal immigrants, more than �3m cash and large drugs hauls. Polly the Springer Spaniel, aged six and described as "ace", has worked at the Port of Dover in Kent, and Coquelles in northern France.
She was rescued from a north London animal shelter in 2001 and then trained to become a detector dog.
Polly's retirement party was held at customs offices in Dover on Thursday.
A Revenue and Customs (HMRC) spokesman said: "She has a naughty character and often led the boys astray - but her handler, now her owner, thinks she is ace."
 Polly has sniffed out money in a moving car wheel |
Polly is now going to live with Jaki Snelling, who is taking on Harley, a male black Labrador, as her replacement in the Customs dog team.
The dog was born in August 1999 and ended up at Wood Green Animal Shelter, in north London.
But she was taken on by HMRC and passed out from her training as a detector dog in September 2001.
Polly's main achievements include finding �1.3m concealed in the false floor of a freight vehicle, and sniffing out more than 1,300lb (600kg) of drugs, including cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines.
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