Wessex Drug Expert

I am a retired Police Officer/Police Staff having worked for Dorset Police for 34 years from August 1990 until May 2025.

2013: I attended and completed the Initial Drug Expert Witness course at Portishead, Bristol. Since completing my course, I have completed hundreds of reports into various levels of supply ranging from social to Organised Crime Group (OCG) levels.

I also attended a mobile phone extraction course on the XRY Kiosk machine. This allowed me to extract the content of mobile phones and providing me with the opportunity to read drug related messages on several different platforms. i.e. SMS, WhatsApp, Snapchat and others.

2016: I was employed as an Investigations Officer Level 2 (Police Staff) dealing with acquisitive crime interviewing suspects who were committing crime to fund their drug habits. I was the single point of contact for Drug Expert Witnesses in Dorset, and I was in contact with other experts nationally.

2019: I was employed as the only full time Drug Expert Witness by Dorset Police based at West Dorset covering the whole County. My role as a full time Drug Expert Witness included reporting on drug cases, completing 100’s of Expert Reports to assist the courts. I have attended and provided expert evidence at Crown, Magistrates and Youth Court. I examined mobile phone reports providing my interpretation on the messages and dealer notes. I allocated work to the other drug experts and ensuring all reports were peer reviewed. I was in receipt of all forensic drug reports for the whole of Dorset. This provided me the opportunity to see packaging and purity of all the drugs tested including adulterants. I have been trained in the use of both nasal and injection Naloxone to assist in the prevention of opioid overdose.

I provided training for drug testers using the EDIT process. I was responsible for allocating specific rooms suitable to conduct drug testing. I ensured all the rooms had Naloxone available for use if needed. I also provided advice to other drug experts across the Force and on a regional level. I secured funding to purchase 4 electronic drug testing devices and provide training in how to operate them safely. I continue my professional development in relation to drug supply with Independent Drug Expert Alliance.

In 1990 I joined Dorset Police and upon successful completion of my initial training I was based at Poole until 1994, where I conducted uniformed patrol duties. I made numerous arrests for possession of all types of controlled drugs, and I investigated supply of Class A and B drugs in the Poole area. I regularly interviewed detained persons involved in drug supply, production and/or use of controlled drugs gaining an insight into how these drugs were used, sold and with Cannabis how it was produced. I was involved in searching persons, premises and vehicles in relation to drug offences which allowed me to gain knowledge on how drugs were packaged and concealed to avoid detection.

In 1994 I transferred to the West Dorset to uniform patrol where I performed acting sergeant duties supervising officers investigating controlled drug offences in relation to Cannabis, Heroin, Crack Cocaine, Cocaine, MDMA (Ecstasy) and Amphetamine. I also investigated the supply of controlled drugs smuggled into Dorset prisons at Portland, Dorchester and Guys Marsh. This was conducted by various methods i.e. visitors, compromised staff, delivered by drone, throw overs and recall Mules. This gained me valuable knowledge and experience of the prison regime. This differs between prisons and normal street supply relating to deal sizes, quality of the product and values.

In 2008 I was successful in my application to become a Detective Constable. I was a PIP 2 level trained investigator based in West Dorset dealing with drugs possession & supply offences including County Lines networks until I retired as a Police Officer in 2015.

I was involved and investigated a large number of Cannabis cultivation grows which included the seizing of evidence and the dismantling of the Cannabis production equipment. Allowing me to gain knowledge in how Cannabis plants are grown/produced from both seed and cuttings, equipment that is used such as highpowered lighting, ballasts, fans, timers, heat shields ventilation and use of nutrients. These Cannabis grows ranged from small 5-10 plants (personal) to large commercial sized grows consisting of over 2,000 plants.

I was a licensed search officer with 14 years experience having been involved in warrants and searches following arrests for drug offences.

a) During these searches I have located drug paraphernalia and drugs in various types of packaging concealed in secret rooms/compartments, i.e. hidden behind false walls, electrical sockets, and Immersion heaters, plastic containers sunk into the concrete floor, disguised cans and drugs being buried in the garden or woods nearby.

b) I have been involved in numerous drugs warrants, pro-active drugs initiatives and investigations into drug supply offences and drug related deaths.

c) I have stopped and searched persons in the street in connection with possession of controlled drugs throughout my 25 year career as an Officer. This was either as a result of what I had observed in person or had been informed in the course of my work.

d) I have searched hundreds of premises, cars, boats and tents in relation to controlled drugs in both my capacity of an Investigator and a Search Officer.

I am assisted in my experience by being in regular receipt of information from such organisations as the Crown Prosecution Service, Eurofins forensics and Socotec forensics, drugs analysts, Internet sites, Intelligence from Police systems, financial investigators, test purchase operations, and National Police Organisations and Police drug intelligence. I also remain informed of drug trends through training events, written publications, the Internet and DEWVA annual conferences and frequent regional seminars. I was a member of the Drug Expert Witness & Valuation Association until 2025. I have been trained in Evidential Drug Identification by LGC forensics. I am authorised to test Cocaine, Heroin, Morphine, Amphetamine, MDMA and Ketamine. This provides me the opportunity to examine the different types of packaging used and deal sizes. I have been trained in the use of TruNarc & First Defender infrared spectroscopy and the Bruker Alpha & True Defender FT-IR Spectrometers to analyse solids, liquids and gases. I tested and examined seizures of controlled drugs including separating wrappings and examining individual deals. I attend drugs expert meetings and presentations within my area and collaboration to continue with development and current pricing and trends within the drugs world. I have attended a Home Office licensed establishment where I have seen the growth and study of cannabis plants and a practical exercise in the production of cannabis resin. In September 2017 I attended LGC Laboratory where I was able to see current drugs available on the market and the production of these drugs. I was shown how to manufacture Crack Cocaine using a microwave.

In 2017 & 2018 I prepared the drug strategy for Bestival music festival and organised the drug expert witnesses and planned on how we would deal with any drug offences and set the limit for possession with intent to supply offences. I also attended Bestival music festival 2017 & 2018 where I saw and dealt with hundreds of seizures of controlled substances. I was able to field test these items which included Ecstasy, MDMA, Cocaine and Ketamine. I have seen LSD dots or blotters and Psilocybin Mushrooms. I have spoken to detained persons concerning the effects and pricing of these drugs gaining first hand current knowledge. I have attended the Isle of Wight music festival, Boomtown festival in Hampshire and the Reading festival. Where I saw drug seizures and searches carried out by security on site. I was a member of the Drug Expert Festivals Group where current trends and intelligence is shared covering the music festivals across the UK.

I have visited TICTAC which is an organisation dealing with the identification of, pills, tablets & capsules. I have been trained by TICTAC in the identification of Pills, Tablets & Capsules using TICTAC Pro a software program which allows me to search the manufactured markings, size, weight and colouring in order to identify it against their database of 35,000 medicines and drugs, which is updated twice a year.

During the COVID-19 pandemic I kept in regular contact with other drug expert witnesses and others associated with drug work, via telephone, email and teams/zoom video meetings. These meetings covered the South Coast area to discuss trends, prices, methodology used by those involved in drug supply.

I completed a CDLO (Controlled Drug Liaison Officer) Initial course in November 2021 and a refresher course in 2023. I am authorised to witness the destruction of controlled drugs and inspect controlled drug storage and inspect controlled drug registers. I participated in local intelligence network meetings with the NHS and other health organisations. During these meetings we discussed cases of drug diversion/abuse by health care professionals. I ensured that patient safety was paramount by organising appropriate action and outcome after interviewing the health care professionals involved.

I completed an OCG training course held at Exeter in December 2021. This course provided me with an insight and a detailed understanding of Heroin and Cocaine from the point of production to the end supply at street level within the United Kingdom. The course covered routes of importation, finances, roles within the supply chain and methods of concealment. This allowed me to produce reports into importation by Organised Crime Groups. I prepared and presented a presentation on the current controlled drugs used by young persons to a group of Paediatric Consultants at Poole Hospital in June 2024.

I attended Independent Drug Expert Alliance CPD training held online in March 2025.