Police have warned of a high profile crackdown on drugs in the coming months.

Eastbourne police have launched an operation using a sniffer dog to identify rail passengers arriving in the town carrying illegal substances.

Operation Wattle, supported by British Transport Police, will continue on various dates throughout 2008.

The sting is backed up by targeted searches outside nightclubs using a dog and a drug testing machine.

Chief Inspector Dick Coates, divisional commander for Eastbourne, said the measures were designed to let people know drugs were not welcome in the area.

He said: "It gives people that sense of security and gives out the message that we won't tolerate people using and dealing drugs within Eastbourne or coming into Eastbourne with drugs."

Eight people were searched and three people were found to have small amounts of cannabis at a sting at Eastbourne railway station on Friday, December 14. They were issued with on-the-spot warnings.

The operation, from 6pm to 10pm, involved officers from Sussex Police and British Transport Police, special constables, officers-in-training, the force licensing officer and a specialist dog handler.

People passing through the ticket barrier were inspected by the drugs dog, which is trained to identify people who might recently have been in possession of drugs then point them out to its handler.

Chief Insp Coates said the policing was designed to keep Eastbourne safe at night.

He said: "I think there could be a problem with drugs if we don't keep on top of it. If they think Eastbourne is a soft area, people could come to deal drugs and use the rail network.

"We have evidence that people do use the rail network to transport drugs.

"We are more concerned about the more hard drugs - cocaine, heroin and so on - but actually cannabis affects young people and can make people do strange things and be violent. They're all illegal."

Sergeant Lee Floyd, officer in charge of the operation, said: "The use of the passive drugs dog provided us with an excellent opportunity to identify people entering Eastbourne with drugs on them.

"The operation was conducted on a Friday night as drugs still remain a problem linked with Eastbourne's night-time economy. Activity similar to this will be conducted on numerous occasions in the future."

When police used an ION track machine at Kings nightclub in Langney Road, Eastbourne, on Friday, December 7, three people were arrested for drugs offences. A fourth was arrested for a public order offence.

The machine highlights traces of drugs on people's hands.

Twelve people were searched but no drugs were found on them and they were released without charge.

rachel.pegg@theargus.co.uk