Two police officers have been arrested in a new Sussex Police drugs investigation.

Inspector Mark Andrews and PC Bobby Newton, both officers in Brighton and Hove, were arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs.

The arrests followed one raid in Brighton and one in Hove on Sunday.

Inspector Andrews is now a “duty inspector”, in charge of the police response to incidents as they arise.

He used to be the city’s officer for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

The 38-year-old became the centre of a controversy in 2005 after he was sent with a colleague on a £5,000 junket to San Francisco to learn about how the city’s Pride march was policed.

The trip was a reward from the Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales for winning a “diversity” prize at a national police awards ceremony.

PC Bobby Newton, 30, is currently one of the force’s LGBT officers.

Two other men have also been arrested on suspicion of the same offence. None of the four has been charged. All have been bailed pending further inquiries.

The type of drug they are accused of possessing has not been disclosed.

Sussex Police’s professional standards department is understood to be investigating the allegation.

Senior officers are yet to decide whether the men will be suspended.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: “The officers are not currently working.”

The news follows the arrest last month of a detective after the alleged seizure of £150,000 of cocaine. Detective Constable Darren Graysmark was arrested and questioned on suspicion of possessing cocaine with intent to supply and money laundering.

He was bailed while police investigate further and suspended from his duties.

It is understood that inquiry is not linked to the arrest of Insp Andrews and PC Newton.

DC Graysmark’s arrest followed the alleged discovery of three kilograms of cocaine in a car pulled over on the A23 at Handcross.

Police claim they found jewellery and cash, and paying-in slips were later found in a search of a house in Peacehaven.

Darren Simpson, 41, of Coney Furlong, Peacehaven, was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to supply. Simpson, a manager at Brighton and Hove City Council, was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Lewes Crown Court on June 5.

Since this article appeared, both Insp Andrews and PC Newton resigned and no further action was taken against them by Sussex Police.