DRUG DOG CHECKS ON TRAIN PASSENGERS

Police Have Warned Of A Highprofile Crackdown On Drugs In The Coming Months.

Eastbourne police have launched an operation using a sniffer dog to
identify rail passengers arriving in the town carrying illegal substances.

Operation Wattle, supported by British Transport Police, will
continue on various dates throughout 2008.

The sting is backed up by targeted searches outside nightclubs using
a dog and a drug testing machine.

Chief Inspector Dick Coates, divisional commander for Eastbourne,
said the measures were designed to let people know drugs were not
welcome in the area.

He said: "It gives people that sense of security and gives out the
message that we won't tolerate people using and dealing drugs within
Eastbourne or coming into Eastbourne with drugs."

Eight people were searched and three people were found to have small
amounts of cannabis at a sting at Eastbourne railway station on
Friday, December 14. They were issued with on-the-spot warnings.

The operation, from 6pm to 10pm, involved officers from Sussex
Police and British Transport Police, special constables,
officers-in-training, the force licensing officer and a specialist
dog handler.

People passing through the ticket barrier were inspected by the
drugs dog, which is trained to identify people who might recently
have been in possession of drugs then point them out to its handler.

Chief Insp Coates said the policing was designed to keep Eastbourne
safe at night.

He said: "I think there could be a problem with drugs if we don't
keep on top of it. If they think Eastbourne is a soft area, people
could come to deal drugs and use the rail network.

"We have evidence that people do use the rail network to transport drugs.

"We are more concerned about the more hard drugs - cocaine, heroin
and so on - but actually cannabis affects young people and can make
people do strange things and be violent. They're all illegal."

Sergeant Lee Floyd, officer in charge of the operation, said: "The
use of the passive drugs dog provided us with an excellent
opportunity to identify people entering Eastbourne with drugs on them.

"The operation was conducted on a Friday night as drugs still remain
a problem linked with Eastbourne's night-time economy. Activity
similar to this will be conducted on numerous occasions in the future."

When police used an ION track machine at Kings nightclub in Langney
Road, Eastbourne, on Friday, December 7, three people were arrested
for drugs offences. A fourth was arrested for a public order offence.

The machine highlights traces of drugs on people's hands.

Twelve people were searched but no drugs were found on them and they
were released without charge.