Pubs across West Kent were visited by police and sniffer dogs as part of an ongoing operation to combat drug use in licensed premises.
Operation in Tonbridge & Malling and Sevenoaks
On the evening of Friday, 22 August 2025, Kent Police’s licensing team, Community Safety Unit and canine section carried out proactive visits to six pubs in Tonbridge & Malling and Sevenoaks.
Officers swabbed areas such as toilets and pool tables and conducted on-the-spot searches where dogs gave positive indications.
Searches and Findings
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Four people were searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
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Three searches were negative.
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One person was found with legitimate prescribed medication.
No illegal drugs were recovered during the operation.
Positive Progress
Chief Inspector Omid Changizi said the results showed the initiative is having a real impact:
“This kind of operation is an important opportunity to get out in the community and engage with residents, and Friday’s visits were very well received by all customers and staff.
Whilst officers found no drugs in their searches, this is a testament to the success of our targeted effort to keep pubs drug-free.
Furthermore, toilet swabs in two venues now showed no trace of drugs compared to previously positive results. This is a great sign that our work in this area is paying off.”
Community Engagement
Alongside enforcement, police used the opportunity to inform pub staff and customers about ongoing work to tackle drug use and reassure the public about safety in their local venues.
