Last updated 13:31, Saturday, 22 November 2008

Police with sniffer dogs blizted pubs in Brampton and Longtown this week in a drugs crackdown.

It followed intelligence that recreational drugs use was rising in the towns.

Sergeant Paul Jenner, based at Brampton Police Station, said that local residents had contacted police with concerns about the increased use of cocaine and cannabis.

Officers stopped people in the streets and visited a number of licensed premises in Brampton and Longtown.

Three people were found in possession of cannabis, and were issued with on the spot cautions.

There was no evidence of drug misuse found in any of the pubs visited.

But Sergeant Jenner warned users that illegal drugs will not be tolerated adding that local police will continue to target them in the future.

He said: “We have been receiving complaints that the recreational use of drugs in Brampton was on the increase. “We had specific information about the use of cocaine and cannabis, both of which are controlled drugs.

“We ran this operation firstly to check on the size of the problem and secondly to identify any offences.”

He added: “We identified three people in possession of cannabis, all of whom were on the street and they received an instant cannabis caution.

“We did not identify any offences in any of the licensed premises that we visited.”

Sergeant Jenner said: “I would like to remind anyone considering using controlled drugs that unlawful possession is an offence and if you are caught with any controlled drugs it could result in a criminal conviction.

“I would like to thank the public for their support in this operation and can assure everyone that Brampton police will not tolerate the misuse of drugs and operations of this sort will be run again if intelligence justifies it.”

The passive drugs dog was supplied by an outside agency, funded by cash from the Crime and Disorder Partnership.