X-ray and sniff: How Luxembourg customs stopped 42kg of marijuana

During a targeted inspection of lorries using a mobile X-ray scanner, Luxembourg Customs officers detected a suspicious structure in one of the lorries coming from abroad. The vehicle was carrying a variety of boxes and parcels, but one of them caught the inspectors' attention in the X-ray images.

When the box was opened, the hunch was confirmed: a significant amount of marijuana was found inside. To make sure that there were no other illegal substances, a service dog named Balto was called to the place of inspection. After a few minutes, he pointed out another suspicious package, which contained another four kilograms of drugs.

A total of 42 kilograms of cannabis herb were seized, packaged in parcels disguised as ordinary commercial shipments.

The operation resulted in a detailed protocol report and the materials were passed to the Luxembourg prosecutor's office, which ordered the seizure of the drugs. The investigation is currently underway to determine the origin of the consignment and the intended recipients.

Customs emphasises that this case clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of modern technical means of control, especially when combined with highly qualified canine support. With the growing volume of international cargo, X-rays and dogs are becoming key allies in the fight against smuggling.