Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Tchikaidze has opened K9 project at Tbilisi International Airport. The event was also attended by US Ambassador Richard Norland, Carol Perez First Assistant Secretary of Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and Minister of Finances Nodar Khaduri.
Purpose of the project is the fight against drugs, which is among one of the priorities of MIA short term Strategy. K9 project is being implemented since 2013 with the support of Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement. Within the frames of the project special unit was founded, comprised of employees from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Finances. The unit will work at the airport with specially trained dogs for drugs detection. 5 service dogs have been purchased for the both agencies. Members of the special unit along with service dogs have undergone special training course in the United States which lasted for 8 weeks. They were also familiarized with similar unit’s functions in Turkey. At this stage unit officers and service dogs are trained at K9 base of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the regular basis as well as at Tbilisi International Airport.
Within the frames of the project 8 air-cages have undergone reconstruction works in accordance with international standards. It is also planned to build temporary air cages in vicinities of Tbilisi International Airport.
