Victorian Police Target Club Drugs With Sniffer Dogs In Melbourne

The Herald Sun has revealed 'secret' police plans to target 30 Melbourne clubs for drug and alcohol breaches.

The report claims that a hand-picked "clubbing cop" force — made up of officers aged between 18 and 25 — will hit the city's entertainment hotspots with sniffer dogs. It is believed the aim of the taskforce is "to catch dealers, users and to gather intelligence".

Inner city suburb Prahran is cited as a major target, with sniffer dogs to be walked along queues of licensed Chapel Street venues in an attempt to "stop some drugs heading into venues". Toilets will also be targetted.

Overdose deaths were linked to Chapel Street precinct earlier this year, prompting the new show of force.

The police action comes at a time when efforts to get pill-testing kits introduced in Australia have stalled although one Melbourne council has recently voted in favour of pursuing the test option.

In 2015, the Greens appealed to stop the use of sniffer dogs at music events and venues in NSW, quoting data that showed "drug dogs don't work".

There were no details relating to when the "clubbing cops" were taking to the streets nor information regarding the length of the operation. 

CLARIFICATION: This story has been amended on April 30 to correct an erroneous connection of drug overdose deaths to the Revolver Upstairs nightclub. A police investigation into the spate of drug overdoses in January found that no fatal overdoses were connected to Revolver Upstairs.