POLICE dog Polly has helped sniff out people carrying drugs in a recent operation at a South Devon railway station.

Six grams of ecstasy, five grams of cannabis and one gram of ketamine were seized by Devon and Cornwall Police after positive indications from Polly.

Alongside British Transport Police, Polly was placed at key entrances and exits of Torquay Railway Station in a bid to target individuals using rail networks to transport drugs.

‘This proactive work forms part of our ongoing efforts to pursue individuals involved in the movement of drugs and to deter criminals from bringing drugs into our towns’ Chief Inspector Miranda Pusey said.

A mixture of high visibility and plain clothes police officers conducted a number of stop searches.

Drugs paraphernalia was also seized, in addition to the quantities of above-mentioend substances.

‘We will continue to send a strong message that our towns will be a difficult place for criminals to operate and deal drugs in’ Chief Inspector Pusey added.

Railways are one of the ways County Lines gangs move drugs from cities to smaller towns.

Criminals exploit vulnerable people, including children and those with mental health or addiction issues, by recruiting them to distribute the drugs.

Detective Inspector Ian Henderson, who works for the British Transport Police, said: ‘Our expert taskforce works with police forces across the country to dismantle and disrupt county lines activity.

‘By pooling our crime fighting resources we increase the chances of intercepting those who use the railway to transport drugs, arrest those involved and safeguard the vulnerable who are exploited by county lines gangs.

‘Working together we continue to make substantial progress in halting the activity of these criminal gangs before the drugs they transport have a chance to enter communities and destroy more lives.’