Cristina Hodgson
THE K9 unit of the Marbella Policia Local has issued 222 fines for the consumption or possession of narcotic drugs on public roads so far in 2021—of which 50 were emitted during the month of March.
Marbella’s Security councillor, Jose Eduardo Diaz, has applauded the crackdown on drugs in the area and highlighted the ‘preventive and educational work’ carried out by the three dogs – Zara (10 years old), Thais (5) and Noe (1.5)—together with their guide Jose Antonio Gonzalez.
Diaz announced that the City Council’s intention is to ‘continue backing this unit, which has been doing silent work over nine years’.
“It is a personal commitment of both the government team and the head of the Marbella Local Police, Javier Martin, and it is necessary to acknowledge the commendable work done by this team, along with the officer known as ‘Luqui’, who is the one who goes out to work with them,” Diaz said.
According to the security chief, the specially trained pooches frequently work hand in hand with the plainclothes anti-crime units and ‘have been very important in these months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the prevention of alcohol and drug consumption on public roads.’
Most of the interventions carried out by the K9 unit involve possession of hashish, marijuana, hashish cigarettes of different types and cocaine.
Guide Gonzalez added that the canines ‘have the dynamic of searching for people in movement as well as static and are conditioned to commence their work the moment they leave the police vehicle without the need to receive commands.’
Their work is a fundamental tool for the officers because “it prevents us from having to carry out unnecessary searches in the street”, Gonzalez said, especially because the dogs ‘approach people without them noticing them in the course of their daily work.’
Additionally Gonzalez explained that police dogs can be trained in a variety of specialties from drugs to explosives, and their work is fundamental as they make it easier to detect people or groups who are consuming or carrying narcotic substances.
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