UK - Carmarthenshire drugs crackdown

[Lunar Loops]

This from NewsWales.co.uk:

Carmarthenshire drugs crackdown

28/11/2007
Police are cracking down on drugs misuse at night-time venues across Carmarthenshire using sophisticated testing equipment.
Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership is seeking the support of night club owners to take a zero tolerance approach to the problem which has strong links to violent crime.

In the first clamp-downs on drug abuse using a drug itemiser machine revellers have been randomly swabbed before they entered certain licensed premises with the manager’s consent.
Similar operations in Swansea have been successful in assessing whether anyone has been in close contact with illegal substances.

In 263 tests carried out in Carmarthen 20 were shown to have high readings. Three people were arrested and cocaine seized.
Several nightclub managers gave their full cooperation to the initiative.

Community Safety Sergeant David Haskins said: “The itemiser has been used twice in Carmarthen with quite dramatic effect.
“It will be used in Llanelli and Ammanford and elsewhere where deemed appropriate in the near future.

“Officers trained in the use of the equipment said the majority of night time Carmarthen clubbers were first shocked then encouraged by what we strived to achieve.”

CSP chair Mark James said: “Drug and alcohol misuse combined contributes to a significant proportion of the violent crime we experience in Carmarthenshire.

“The CSP is seeking random and unannounced use of the itemiser to be a condition of licensing at all premises.
“Tackling violent crime is an ongoing process county wide for neighbourhood policing teams who are setting up another CSP initiative - the ‘Behave or Be Banned Scheme’ within certain licensed premises.”