Iganga, Uganda: A police sniffer dog has helped officers recover two and a half sacks of fresh coffee berries allegedly stolen from a garden in Nawaniyingi Sub-county, Iganga District.
The recovery followed the deployment of the Busoga East Police Canine Unit after unknown persons reportedly entered a coffee garden belonging to Lwukyaza Moses in Walugoma Village and harvested the berries on the night of August 10, 2026.
The incident was reported to Bunyiro Police Station the following morning under SD REF: 05/11/08/2026.
Police said a joint team of detectives, uniformed officers and the Canine Unit responded to the scene, where the sniffer dog picked up a scent trail from the coffee garden.
The dog reportedly tracked the trail for approximately 800 metres through the plantation and Walugoma Trading Centre before leading officers to the home of a man identified by police as Adam, a resident of the same village.
During a search of the premises, police said the dog indicated two sacks of fresh coffee berries at the doorway and another half sack hidden under a bed inside the house.
The suspect allegedly fled after seeing the police team, and efforts to trace and apprehend him are ongoing with the support of local leaders and community members.
ASP Michael Kasadha, the Busoga East Regional Police Spokesperson, said the operation demonstrated the importance of the Police Canine Unit in combating agricultural theft.
“This recovery shows the value of our K9 Unit. In less than 24 hours of the report, we were able to trace and recover the stolen property. We urge the public to continue working with police to fight agricultural theft in the region,” Kasadha said.
Lwukyaza, the complainant, said he had initially lost hope after discovering that his coffee garden had been harvested during the night.
“I had lost hope after seeing my garden harvested at night. I thank the police and the dog for bringing back my coffee. This is a big relief to my family,” he said.
Police said the recovered coffee was later identified by the complainant as his property and taken to Bunyiro Police Station as investigations continue.
Kasadha commended the Iganga Police Canine Unit for its swift response and also thanked the LC1 leadership and residents of Nawaniyingi for supporting the operation.
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