Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Tuesday with the help of a sniffer dog netted 531 kilograms of bhang with an estimated street value of over Ksh.15 million.
According to the DCI a 26-year-old woman was on Tuesday arrested at a home in Buembu, Migori County and a man who was at the scene managed to escape.
“A woman implicated in the trafficking of 531Kg of bhang which was earlier today seized at a home compound within Buembu village in Migori is in police custody.”
“An unidentified male suspect was in time to make good his escape from the scene, which is the home of Osege Odhiambo, leaving behind the woman and the prohibited hard drug’” the DCI said in a statement.
Molinter Adhiambo Juma, police said, was arrested in an operation conducted by a joint team of DCI detectives backed up by their K9 Isebania Border Post counterparts.
According to the DCI report, detectives used sniffer dogs to help trace where the bhang was.
“In the stealth operation, nine sacks of Cannabis sativa sticks and another eight containing the unrefined drug were found at various concealed spots with the help of a sniffer dog,” the DCI said.
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More About a Sniffer Dog
Sniffer dogs play a crucial role in enhancing security and safety.
Detectives employ detection dogs to detect certain scents and alert their handlers.
Dogs are wonderful in that they’re able to use their sense of smell to determine what is and what isn’t. They’re able to snuff out particular items that should not be in one’s possession. They’re also able to find certain individuals that may be in hiding.
Sniffer dogs are trained to identify drugs, explosives, firearms, cash, and all kinds of other evidence/contraband.
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How the Dogs are Trained
Departments require a dog to first pass basic obedience training. The dogs must be able to respond to and obey the commands of their handler without hesitation for proper control.
It takes a bit of time for dogs to become experts in this kind of task, as you’d imagine.
The trainer will first choose a toy that the dog loves.
Most of the time, it’s a towel or rag with no scent at all. The dog will become attached to the object and look to seek it out all of the time. You’ll then put drugs (or whatever scent you’re looking for) in the toy.
The dog will then learn this new smell and associate the smell with the toy. The trainer will then hide the toy in various places – and the dog will use their sense of smell to find the hidden toy.
Their sense of smell can be up to 100,000 times greater than any human being, so it’s a very powerful tool. Once the dog finds the toy, the trainer will reward them with a treat.
The most commonly used breeds are German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, but other breeds are represented having some unique talents.
Basset Hounds, Bloodhounds, and Labrador Retrievers, for example, are known for their tracking, trailing, and detection skills.
