POLICE officers have increased the number of searches for controlled drugs by a record 116.1% in Moyle and 108.3% in Ballymoney over the last year.
Addressing the 12 monthly reports at two recent District Policing Partnership meetings, police chiefs revealed that the number of searches increased from 31 to 67 in Moyle and from 60 to 125 in Ballymoney.
Police chief David Anderson explained: "Thi
s is a significant increase and reflects the dedication of local officers and their hard work in dealing with the drug problem.
"They have made every effort to gather intelligence and are aware of those involved, which has resulted in us being on target within the Local Policing Plan for 2008/2009.
"We all know searches must be intelligence based and the significant increase reflects community support for police in taking robust action to detect and disrupt drug misuse."
However on a contrasting scale, Moyle and Ballymoney police were not on target with regard to increasing the number of seizures of controlled drugs - which declined by 58.8% from 17 last year to seven this year in Moyle and by 22.2% from 18 to 14 in Ballymoney.
"The number of seizures for drugs has fallen and I guess people will be wondering why if we have doubled the number of searches," the police chief continued.
"It must be noted that searches are more likely to be successful if police can encourage more specific intelligence about drug activity. Although seizures have reduced, the qualities of cannabis plants, herbal cannabis and cannabis joints seized have increased.
"Although the number of searches can not be underestimated, lessons we have learnt are that the more information the better ie how the drugs are being supplied, how they are being moved and who is moving them.
"It is known that if police increase the number of searches, the drug users and suppliers go further underground and use other more complex methods of moving them like so called mules (those who carry the drugs) who are more naive/vulnerable people."
