Few dogs get to fly around the state for work, but Duke, the drug detection dog, was racking up the frequent flyer miles when he visited the Torres Strait as part of an multi-agency operation to detect illicit drugs in the baggage of air travellers.

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Under the guise of what was dubbed Operation Lewis, Queensland and Federal Police joined with Australian Customs to "target the flow of dangerous drugs into, and out of, our community in the baggage of passengers," said Detective Sergeant (DS) Adrian Worth, from the Thursday Island CIB.

The operation resulted in the detection of a quantity of marijuana in the luggage of one passenger who was arriving from Cairns on a Qantaslink flight and who was subsequently dealt with in accordance with police legislation.

"This operation should serve as a timely reminder for people that this is the sort of resource and action that police and law enforcement agencies can use to keep drugs out of our community," said DS Worth.

With Operation Lewis taking place over numerous days, the public can expect that there will be similar operations in the future, he said.

"I’d like to thank the airline and freight companies for their assistance with this operation."

Queensland Police also conduct inspections of seafreight carriers between Cairns and the Torres Strait, while drug detections operations are conducted "all the time" at Cairns airport, DS Worth said.