Lebanese authorities launched an investigation and made an arrest after a police dog raised the alarm over a suspicious package at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport.
The dog, trained to detect drugs, explosives, and cash, became agitated and fixated on the package, refusing to move away. Although the parcel had cleared routine security checks, the dog’s persistent behavior suggested something was amiss.
Pexels
Alerted by the canine’s reaction, the handler requested a second inspection. Officials noticed small air holes in the box, prompting them to call in the bomb squad. The area was quickly evacuated as a safety precaution.
After confirming there were no explosives, authorities opened the package, which had arrived from Kazakhstan—and made a disturbing discovery: two tiger cubs, weak, dehydrated, and struggling to breathe, buried in dirty sawdust. They had reportedly gone days without food or water.
Veterinarians were brought in to care for the cubs, later naming them Tobby and Sophie. The animals received emergency treatment and were eventually relocated to a shelter, where they began their recovery.
The investigation traced the origin of the cubs to an illegal transaction involving a zoo in Kazakhstan, shedding light on a broader issue of wildlife smuggling—a growing concern for border officials.
Thanks to the instincts and training of the police dog, the smuggling attempt was foiled and the cubs were rescued just in time.
