Strip-search landlady outraged after police raid

A Hampshire tenant is struggling to recover from the effects of heavy-handed police tactics after she and her customers were strip searched in a failed drugs raid.

Shani Rogers, of the Greene King-owned Beacon in Basing-stoke, and 50 of her customers, including senior citizens, were stripped to their pants and searched after 90 officers stormed the pub on Friday 21 October. Rogers has seen takings drop by £1,500 a week since the raid.

Police claim they had received information about class A drug dealing but only detained two people who were cautioned for possession of cannabis for personal use. A small canister of white powder was sent for analysis.

Police burst into the pub at around 9pm as customers were enjoying a relaxing evening and finally left at around 1am. Rogers, who has been at the pub for four years, three as manager, said she was 'shocked' as police burst in through all six entrances.

'At first I thought it was a fancy dress prank by some of my customers as they came flying through the door,' said Rogers. 'Then I thought we were being robbed. I have never seen anything like it. I won't tolerate drugs in my pub. In my time we have had no trouble here at all.'

Rogers added: 'I know the police have a job to do but surely this was a waste of resources.'

A Hampshire police spokeswoman said: 'We received infor- mation from a number of sources and believe the amount of officers used was proportionate in light of that information and the type of people we expected to find on the premises.'