DRUG DOGS TRACK 22 PEOPLE IN 7 SHEFFIELD PUBS

DRINKERS who took drugs with them to the pub to add an extra kick to
their night out had a nasty shock - when police turned up with sniffer dogs.

Traces of illegal substances were detected on 22 people, four of whom
were arrested for possession of class A drugs, while many of the rest
admitted they had either used drugs or been in company with someone who had.

Two dogs and 14 police officers targeted seven pubs around Ecclesall
Road on Friday night - the Porter Brook, Porter Cottage, The Lescar,
Champs, Nursery Tavern, Menzels and the Pomona.

Those arrested had been found carrying small quantities of cocaine
and were all given cautions by police.

Sgt Simon Wanless, who was in charge of the task, part of a wider
initiative codenamed Operation Drum, said: "The operation is a
passive drugs screening operation being run across Sheffield over the
course of the next few months.

"It is being conducted to assist the dogs to become more proficient
in searching and to expose them to a variety of different settings."

He added: "I think it has a huge deterrent effect - the dogs are so
sensitive they can even smell traces of drugs on contaminated banknotes."

Sgt Wanless said management at each of the pubs had been "very
supportive" of the action, which follows similar screening of
customers at city centre pubs last month.