What is the first listed measure in the UK police strategy to combat drug offences?

• A. Arrest without a warrant
• B. Stop and search
• C. Seizure of drugs
• D. Entry and inspection

Answer: (B)

Stop and search sits at the forefront because it is the immediate, on-the-spot tool officers use to disrupt drug supply. By having reasonable grounds to suspect someone may be carrying illegal drugs or paraphernalia, officers can stop a person or vehicle and search them then and there. If drugs are found, this enables quick seizures and often leads to arrests, which directly removes substances from the street and builds evidence for prosecution. This proactive, rapid action makes it the first measure police rely on in strategies aimed at tackling drug offences.

Arresting without a warrant is a broader step that requires sufficient cause at the moment of action and isn’t the initial tactic in a general strategy. Seizure of drugs typically follows from a stop and search or an arrest. Entry and inspection requires warrants or specific powers and isn’t the starting point for a general drug-offence strategy.