Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport is the only passenger and cargo airport in Lebanon. As a result, it is always crowded with people eager to visit this Middle Eastern country.
Thousands of people pass through the airport terminals daily, and a vast amount of cargo and various baggage are transported to all corners of the globe. With such high passenger and cargo traffic, security is of paramount importance.
For this reason, numerous police officers monitor security and order. However, there are also other, less noticeable and less known law enforcement officers—search dogs that have received specialized training. These dogs help detect suspicious packages or baggage containing prohibited items, such as narcotics, explosives, or even large sums of money.
These dogs are trained to pick up specific scents and «inform» their handlers without barking or causing a disturbance. When they detect something, they direct their nose and gaze at the suspicious object, remaining still. The handler, observing the dog’s behavior, notices the change and organizes a check of the found baggage. It’s a simple yet time-tested system that works almost flawlessly.
A Strange Find
When one such dog was walking through the airport building, no one paid any attention to it, understanding that the dog was on duty. Although many people might have wanted to pet and cuddle the friendly animal, this was strictly prohibited to avoid distracting both the dog and the police. Passersby could only smile at the handler accompanying the dog.
Suddenly, in the cargo terminal, the dog fixed its nose on one of the boxes passing through the terminal. The label showed the destination as Kazakhstan. The package had arrived a few days earlier and was awaiting its next leg of the journey.
The dog froze, silently focusing on the box. The officer had no doubt—there was clearly something illegal inside.
Search dogs rarely make mistakes, and in the officer’s experience, the dog had never wrongly singled out a passenger or cargo.
The handler gave the command, allowing the dog to approach the box. But the dog unexpectedly jumped onto the box, which was quite large.
It looked like other boxes and parcels coming into the airport, so visually it did not raise any suspicion. The only difference the officer noticed upon closer inspection was several small holes around the perimeter.
The dog could not contain its excitement, was restless, and whined a little while looking at its handler. It became clear that inside the box was something that caught the dog’s attention more than prohibited substances or large sums of money. The handler began thinking about his next steps and preparing for the inspection.
What Was Inside?
Other airport staff had gathered around the box. They carefully lifted it off the floor and gently moved it to the examination table. Everyone understood that the contents could include explosives, so they proceeded with extreme caution. Any careless movement could lead to tragic consequences.
