Police sniffer dogs to help stop customers bringing drugs into pubs

Licensees in east Devon are allowing police sniffer dogs into their pubs in a bid to stop customers bringing drugs onto the premises.​ The dogs, which can sniff out drugs including cannabis and cocaine, are to make regular visits to the 400 pubs taking part in the Pubs Against Drugs scheme (PAD), which has received overwhelming support from publicans.

It is hoped the unannounced visits will severely disrupt the drugs trade and if successful, sniffer dogs could well be a regular sight in pubs throughout the country.

East Devon licensing officer Karen Mead said licensees were more than willing to take part in the scheme. "They all replied with 100 per cent support. Tehy wanted to actively take part," she said.

But the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Association Tony Payne said he thought it might give out the wrong message to customers.

"Customers might not like the fact that the police will be coming into pubs with dogs to sniff out drugs. It gives out the wrong impression."

But Nora James who runs the Prince of Wales in Exmouth disagreed. She said: "The only people it's likely to offend is those customers who have drugs on them or those who are looking to deal and quite frankly these are the people we want to keep out. It's an excellent idea and we are happy to take part."

David Jordan at the Famous Ship pub in the city said: "It's a fantastic idea. I don't think it'll put people off coming in here - quite the opposite. It's sending out the message that drugs will not be tolerated in here."

Police will be targeting people carrying amphetamines, ecstasy and cannabis, but cocaine will also be on the search list.

The British Institute of Innkeeping's spokeswoman Georgina Wald also welcomed the move. "It's great. Licensees should be running a zero tolerance policy. I wouldn't like this to be enforced as a condition of a licence but I agree with it as a voluntary measure."

"Licensees don't want customers who are using drugs or dealing them in their pubs and the best way to do this is to stop them coming into the pubs in the first place."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said he wasn't aware of plans for such an initiative within London, but added that they would be watching the Devon scheme with interest.