NZ helping China train customs dogs: Kiwi official

New Zealand Customs was now working with Chinese Customs to establish China's own cash detector dog training program by using New Zealand-trained cash- sniffing dogs, New Zealand Customs Minister Nicky Wagner said Tuesday.

A delegation from China's General Administration of Customs, led by Deputy Commissioner Sun Yibiao, was in Auckland earlier this week and received an overview of the training program, which would benefit both countries, Wagner said in a statement.

"By working together, customs administrations can collectively strengthen the border security of both countries by targeting the movement of the proceeds of crime," Wagner said.

"Trans-national crime syndicates often move cash across borders and intercepting hidden or undeclared cash contributes to the disruption of these syndicates and can uncover criminal networks."

The New Zealand Customs Detector Dog Training Program had been working with the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong customs over the past six months to help establish a cash-detector dog capability for both agencies.

"Trainers from New Zealand Customs will provide assistance to China when they begin training their dogs," she said.

"New Zealand Customs began training cash detector dogs in 2012. Since the introduction of dual trained drug and cash detector dogs, 5 million NZ dollars (3.71 million US dollars) has been detected at the border and on search warrant activity."

New Zealand shares formal agreements and close customs operational relationships with both the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, with the agencies working together to target the illicit drug trade through cross-border efforts.