Dogs sniff out drug dealers and users

Mar 18 2008 by David James, South Wales Echo

TWENTY one people were stopped and searched as police officers took a pair of sniffer dogs onto the streets of Cardiff.

As part of the city’s crime crackdown – Operation Maximum Impact – officers carried out a drugs exercise in the city centre on Friday.

The pair of Labradors led officers to search 21 people, 10 of whom admitted having taken drugs including cannabis, speed and cocaine.

One was cautioned for possession of cannabis and another was arrested and charged for possession of cocaine.

Sergeant Scott Lloyd, of Cardiff Central police station, said the dogs were so effective they could identify even when someone had taken drugs several hours earlier.

In a separate operation as part of Maximum Impact, officers working with two teenagers tested 13 city bars to find out if they would serve underage youngsters. Seven out of the 13 failed the test and served the teenagers alcopops like WKD.

Sgt Lloyd said: “It is very disappointing that more than 50 per cent of the licensed premises we tested served the youngsters.

“Most of these pubs have a policy of only serving people who are older than 21.”