A member of the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), official dog handler Nurija Agic, and the official narcotics detection dog Rik, successfully completed a several-month-long K9 unit training in Skopje, carried out with the support of the OSCE Mission in BiH and Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
The Office of the Director of the Border Police of BiH emphasized on Thursday that this was an international training held as part of the Regional Certified Training for official dog handlers, consisting of six modules of theoretical and practical training. These modules covered the handler’s professional knowledge, exercises in searching enclosed spaces, suitcases, luggage, vehicles, open areas, and obedience exercises.
The training, which lasted from September 30th, 2024, to October 10th, 2025, was attended by 15 official dog handlers from police agencies in the region, and four handlers successfully completed it, including Border Police of BiH member Nurija Agic and his official dog Rik.
“By successfully completing this demanding training, conducted according to high international standards, the Border Police of BiH has gained a certified official dog handler who meets Frontex standards and is among the most professional in this field,“ the announcement states.
Handler Nurija Agic emphasized that the training was a major challenge for both him and his dog Rik, and that a lot of effort, knowledge, and skills were invested in the training to prepare them for work in various situations.
Official dog Rik is engaged daily in inspecting separated passenger luggage on flights from Banja Luka International Airport, as well as in checking operational areas of the airport and the area in front of the terminal building.
