THE use of a drug detection dog in Albury hotels by local police and members of the state protection group led to two people being arrested on possession charges and court appearances.
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Officers used the dog in Albury hotels on January 21 with success at the Northside Hotel and outside the Star Hotel.
Heath Anthony Hancock, 18, of Boomerang Drive, Lavington and Dawn Patricia Reith, 49, of Eastern Circuit, Albury, both pleaded guilty in Albury Local Court to drug possession.
Magistrate Geoff Hiatt imposed a $350 fine with $79 court costs on each of them.
Mr Hiatt told Hancock there needed to be a penalty which acts as a deterrent for him and sends a warning message to others.
The officers attended the Star Hotel about 7.30pm and Reith was walking out the rear entrance.
The dog detected a scent and Reith admitted to police that she had drugs in her bag.
There were three individually wrapped foil packages containing cannabis and another clear resealable bag with cannabis inside.
Reith said it was for personal use by her and friends at a party she was about to attend.
The total weight of the cannabis was 4.1 grams.
Hancock was seated at a gaming machine inside the Northside Hotel when police attended about 9pm.
The dog detected a scent and Hancock denied having any drugs of him, but appeared nervous.
He claimed he had used a drug a short time before.
Hancock was advised by police that he was going to be searched.
Police asked him to remove his right sock during the search and a small resealable bag dropped to the floor.
Hancock told police it was “speed”.
He told police that the amphetamine he had was bought for $50. The weight of the drug and packaging was 0.8 gram.
Mr Hiatt made an order that the drugs found be destroyed.
