DOGS USED TO SNIFF OUT CANNABIS

POLICE with dogs trained to sniff out drugs were on the streets of
north Kent searching for people with cannabis today.

North Kent police targeted Dartford market and shops in the town
centre as part of Operation Wave - aimed at reducing the amount of
cannabis in the area's schools.

Police believe some of the cannabis used by schoolchildren is bought
in and around town centres like Dartford where youths hang around at
lunchtimes and after school.

Two Labradors called Charlie and H, trained to passively sniff drugs
on people without having to stop them, helped police with the operation.

Kent Police drug liaison officer PC Adrian Parsons said: "We know
these operations are effective.

"We started doing these in north Kent concentrating around railway
stations where users go to travel out of the area to buy drugs.

"When we first started doing them we were getting three or four
people coming off the trains with drugs.

"But recently we haven't been getting anyone."

He added: "People who see us coming and dive into the shops are the
people we are going to challenge today."