UK unleashes first dogs trained to detect synthetic opioids

The pioneering K9 Synthetic Opioid Detection Units are helping Border Force officers screen postal items, cargo, freight and courier deliveries for hidden synthetic opioids and other Class A drugs.

The Home Office says synthetic opioids pose a “growing public health challenge”. Their extreme potency increases the risk of accidental overdose, and their ease of concealment makes detection difficult.

Nitazenes can be between 50 and 500 times more potent than heroin, with more than 750 confirmed UK fatalities linked to these substances between June 1, 2023 and August 28, 2025.

Border Force says training will be continually refined to stay ahead of evolving threats, matching the sophistication of criminal networks that have previously avoided detection through new production methods and changing scent profiles.

The minister responsible for policing, Sarah Jones said:  “Drugs kill, and we need to keep one step ahead of the criminals who peddle in misery. By using these specially trained dogs to sniff out synthetic opioids, we can stop the drug dealers in their tracks.

“By working closely with other countries, we’re staying ahead of what is now a fast-moving scene led by international organised crime groups.

“My message is clear: we are stepping up our fight to stop these dangerous drugs from ever reaching our communities.”

At the Five Country Ministerial last month, the Home Secretary secured support from interior ministers from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – collectively known as the Five Eyes – to enhance detection and testing capabilities for synthetic opioids, including through the UK-designed Synthetic Opioid Pills Catalogue.

Frontline officers will use this database to quickly identify suspected illicit pills, which are often disguised as genuine medication, by comparing them against a global catalogue of seized synthetic opioid pills.

The Home Secretary also agreed with her Five Eyes counterparts to strengthen cooperation when engaging with countries where organised crime groups are producing and exporting illegal synthetic opioids and their precursor chemicals, and to target the sale of these drugs through online platforms.

These measures build on ongoing efforts to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids, including the recent ban of 22 additional synthetic drugs, the introduction of a generic definition of nitazenes to prevent gangs from evading UK drug laws, and the expanded rollout of naloxone to police forces, with 32 now carrying it and further support underway.