DOGS who use their noses to sniff out illegal tobacco have received a welcome funding boost from the Welsh Government.

Just over £7,000 will be made available to local councils to support 22 days of tobacco detection dog work throughout Wales.

Pembrokeshire is home to one of the illegal tobacco trade’s biggest enemies, Phoebe the super spaniel, who lives in Llandissilio with her handler Stuart Phillips.

Together they travel across the UK sniffing out counterfeit tobacco which is shipped into the UK.

Stuart of BWY Canine said: “I welcome this funding and I hope that all 22 trading standards departments in Wales take advantage of this opportunity.

“Phoebe and I cover more than 40 local authorities in England and Wales and our biggest find of counterfeit tobacco was in Newport, which shows the problem is prevalent in Wales, especially in the south and west of Wales.

“Counterfeit tobacco poses a risk to people’s health as it has been found to contain rat droppings, fibre glass and cement dust.”

The Health Minister Mark Drakeford said: “The trade in illegal tobacco is undermining our efforts to control tobacco use and to help people give up smoking.

“In August, I visited Newport to see first-hand how Phoebe played a vital role in sniffing out half a million pounds’ worth of illegal tobacco, which she found in ingeniously hidden places.”

Matthew Cridland, chairman of Wales Heads of Trading Standards, said: “The cheapness of illegal tobacco removes the price incentive for smokers to quit the habit and puts our children at risk, particularly if they are entering private addresses to purchase.

“We are delighted the Health Minister has made this additional funding available - it will allow us to use the skills of tobacco detection dogs across Wales.”