ISLE of Wight police seized £4,170 in cash, plus cannabis, heroin and crack cocaine, during a crackdown on 'county lines' drug dealing – the County Press joined an operation with frontline officers at Ryde Pier Head last week to see how they planned to catch potential drug dealers.

Officers in plain clothes, a dog handler and drugs dog were used in the operation at the FastCat terminal on Thursday, January 24 – with a general purpose dog on hand if need be.

Dog handler PC Ellis Butler patrolled the entrance point to the ferry terminal with a specialist search dog, also known as a drugs dog.

The springer spaniel, named Dexter, is trained to sniff out cash, drugs, firearms and ammunition.

"We tend to give him a break every 20 or 30 mins," explained PC Butler. "We need to ensure his olfactory glands stay moist, that's where he gets his sense of smell from, so we give him a drink of water to wash those out, they're in his nose."

PC Butler and Dexter were backed up by Ryde-based Sergeant Sam Warne, who wore plain clothes for the operation and was assisted by another officer in police uniform.

As one load of ferry passengers disembarked, a man sprinted around the drugs dog and attempted to exit the terminal – only to be collared by Sgt Warne who took him to one side and explained the operation was in progress and his behaviour was suspicious and that he was to be searched.

The man was searched primarily by Sgt Warne and uniformed officers while the drugs dog and handler screened passengers.

Dexter was later used to search the man's rucksack but he was released without charge after a thorough search turned up nothing illegal.

PC Butler's general purpose dog, Oscar waited in in his vehicle, he explained he must be with both dogs at all times when on duty.

"I can't exactly go home and get him if there's a bank robbery down the road," joked PC Butler.

Four people were arrested on the Island during the National Crime Agency led operation last week.

Several drugs raids were carried out on the Isle of Wight too, and the haul included 120g of cannabis, 2g of suspected heroin and 1g of suspected crack cocaine.

Across the entire Hampshire and Isle of Wight region, police seized more than £28,000 worth of drugs and made 35 arrests. More than £12,000 in cash was also recovered.