US Hands Drug Dogs to Georgia

In order to improve the control of drug flow at the Georgian borders the United States has handed over 10 drug detection dogs to Georgia.

A $1 million project began last year whereby 10 dogs and 10 cynologists were trained in the US and then in Georgia. The project is set to continue this year.

“We started this project in 2014. We went to the US and got given five dogs there. The project was a big success, so we have decided to bring an additional five dogs and increase our capacity,” Tbilisi Airport Investigation Cynologic (K9) team leader Alexandre Jikidze stated.

According to the US Embassy in Georgia, both the dogs and their trainers will be important for strengthening the drug detection policy and preventing drug flow into the country.

Last week, the Ambassador of the US in Georgia, Ian Kelly, together with the Minister of Internal Affairs, Giorgi Mgebrishvili, and Minister of Finance, Nodar Khaduri, attended a ceremony for the completion of the cynologist development program.

The program was supported by the US International Bureau of anti-drug and law-enforcement agency and was implemented by the Park Police from the US.