Thames Valley Police officers in Reading tested more than 400 people for drug use at a Reading town centre bar on Friday, February 13.
Officers from Central Reading Neighbourhood Policing team ran the checks as a condition of entry to the Walkabout bar, off Friar Street, as part of the continuing work to reduce violent crime in the town.
Police swabbed the hands of 445 people during the operation. Seven people tested positive for cocaine and eight were searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act. A 24-year-old man from Caversham was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs and has been released on bail to return to Loddon Valley police station on 19 March.
The other searched people were refused entry to the bar because of their high readings of drug contact.
Central Reading inspector Keith Stacey said: “If you want to come to Reading to have a good time, then you are more than welcome. But, we will take a very hard line if you get involved in drug activity or violence. You could find yourself going through the court processes as well as being banned from every pub, bar and club in the town.”
Once a person has had their hands swabbed, the drug itemiser tells police within four seconds whether that person has come into contact with illegal drugs and, if so, which ones. If the reading is particularly high, that person will then be searched.
The itemiser can also be used to check surfaces within a premise to highlight whether it has an issue with drugs.
Inspector Stacey added: “This operation was supported by the venue and was well received by the customers. It shows the value of partnership work between police, Reading Borough Council and licensed premises as we work to try to reduce violent crime.”
