POLICE cracked down on drug movements in Winchester yesterday.

Hampshire Police were at Winchester Railway Station, on a joint drugs operation with the British Transport Police.

Twelve officers, six from each force, were at the scene with two 'passive' sniffer dogs from 10am-2pm inspecting people at the gates.

There were 12 stop and searches with two street warnings given out for possession of cannabis.
It was part of a wider month-long anti-drugs operation, with the station targeted based on intelligence that drugs were being brought into Winchester by train.

PC Ian Dawson said: “Recently we have had good results in tackling the supply of drugs in and around Winchester and today we are acting on information we have been given on how the drugs are coming into the city.

“The operation is mainly to do with the supply of Class A drugs but the type of drug makes no difference to the dogs.”

They used a Springer Spaniel and black Labrador so as not to intimidate the public.

PC Dawson said: “These are 'passive' dogs rather than the big Alsatians and they are very well trained and easy to handle. The public have been very good and we have been explaining what we are doing and it's all gone very well.”

Sgt Matt Flynn, who led the operation, said: "Today's operation has been a huge success. It demonstrates our commitment to preventing those who supply illegal drugs from using the rail network and from entering our city."