The Washington PostThe Washington Post

A squad of drug-sniffing squirrels is training to join China's police

By Lyric Li and Annabelle Timsit

09 Feb 2023 · 3 min read

Editor's Note

In China, the newest members of the anti-drug police squad are a little unconventional. The Post reports on a police unit which has "successfully trained" squirrels to sniff out drugs.

The newest prospective members of an anti-drug police squad are discreet, quick and agile. Once they're fully trained, they could be deployed to large, complex sites such as logistics warehouses to uncover drugs that may be hidden there.

These are not elite narcotics officers. They are squirrels.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content
Or

LoginForm.agreeToTerms