Salcombe pubs hit by police drug crackdown ahead of summer

Neighbourhood police teams carried out a "Pubs Against Drugs" operation in Salcombe on Friday, July 17, targeting four town pubs ahead of the busy summer season. Officers from the Kingsbridge Neighbourhood Team were joined by the Dog Unit, Licensing, the Special Constabulary, the Neighbourhood Support Team and the Ivybridge Neighbourhood Team.

Specialist detection dogs, including Jasper the Labrador‑Malinois pair, screened customers for the scent of controlled substances. Seven stop‑searches were conducted, resulting in two positive drug finds, and a surface swab of a pub toilet returned traces of cocaine. Police described the initiative as well‑received by licence holders, patrons and the public, and said the aim was to send a clear message that drugs are not welcome in Salcombe during the summer.

The force thanked collaborating teams and members of the public for their cooperation and urged anyone with further information to contact the local neighbourhood policing team.