Malaysian authorities have boosted security for its two special "four-legged" investigators for they are feared to be potential targets of the country's piracy syndicates. The floppy eared investigators are actually a pair of sniffer dogs that the country has recently loaned from Ireland for a month trial in order to break down the DVD piracy racket.

Lucky and Flo, the pair of black Labrador Retrievers, are notably the first animals trained to detect optical discs by their scent.

Citing their unique ability to sniff out the DVDs, film industry group Motion Picture Association (MPA), brought in the two dogs to Malaysia. But after a raid on a pirate DVD ring in southern Johor state, reports emerged that the dogs were now targets for assassination and that a bounty had been put on their heads.

Considering the danger surrounding the canines, MPA has placed the dogs in a secure location in Kuala Lumpur, according to the AFP reports.

"We are taking the threat very seriously," Neil Gane, of the MPA told the AFP adding that further missions are being planned very carefully to ensure the safety of the dogs.

Audio and video piracy forms a huge market in Malaysia and other Asian nations where fake CDs and DVDs are openly sold on the streets at heavy discounts.