THE STREETS of Penzance were filled with police last week when around 20 officers and a sniffer dog swooped on nine pubs in a specialist drugs operation.

During the three-hour series of raids on Thursday evening at many of the city centre pubs at Causewayhead, Bread Street and Market Jew Street, officers seized three packs of cannabis from a man and searched two others.

The operation was set up to reduce the amount of violent crime and anti-social behaviour after pubs' and clubs' closing times. It also aimed to keep licensees "on their toes" in their efforts to stamp down on drug using and dealing.

Only three months ago, Penzance East ward was ranked the worst area in terms of the highest incidence of violent crime in Cornwall – standing at four-and-a-half times the county average.

"We are not targeting any specific pubs, we are not here from an intelligence point of view," the head of the force's tactical policing team said during the operation briefing, adding: "It's not a busy night tonight but we are doing this to make an impact."

In total, 18 uniformed and non-uniformed officers were deployed to take part in the bust – the first for several years in Penzance. The aim was to hit nine pubs with the help of a passive and proactive drugs dog, a four-year-old black Labrador called Oscar.

Officers in civilian clothing were 'planted' in the pubs to secure the targeted premises, exit routes and toilets.

Following an "all clear", Oscar and nine officers would enter the premises and conduct a search following a successful indication from Oscar.

Despite the operation being halfway through with no significant results, newly appointed town centre sergeant Marc Sayers was pleased.

"Had we found a lot of drugs by now it would indicate that we have a serious drug problem in Penzance," he said.

Oscar has been an integral part of the constabulary's drug seizure department since 2006.

By scanning the air around people he can smell all class A, B or C drugs, even if they have been used 24 hours earlier.

His most notable success was two years ago at Truro railway station where he caught a woman with a kilogramme of cocaine. On Thursday, however, his nose led only to the seizure of a small amount of cannabis worth an estimated £15.

His owner, who cannot be identified due to the work he undertakes, says it's hard to measure Oscar's success rate.

He said: "He gives an indication based on a trace but he has to find something to get his reward. There are people you'd never think have anything to do with drugs by the way they behave or dress, but all Oscar knows is when he spots that smell he will get his toy."

The man found with cannabis attended Penzance police station on Friday and was cautioned.