First dog to detect mobile (cell) phones

The first sniffer dog to be trained and used soley for the purpose of identifying illegal mobile (cell) phones is Murphy, a springer spaniel, who was trained by the Eastern Area Drug Dog team, UK, to identify a certain scent emitted by mobile phones. Murphy works with his handler, Mel Barker (UK), to detect such contraband items amongst prisoners at Norwich Prison (HMP Norwich), East Anglia, UK - items that can be used to plot escapes, arrange drugs deliveries or to intimidate witnesses from their trials. Murphy can even differentiate between prison officers' and prisoners' mobile phones, as well as locate them hidden in wall cavities or wrapped in plastic bags.

Murphy was 15 months old when he began in the prisons, in Autumn 2006.