NSW Police Use of Drug Dogs and Strip Searches Slammed as Ineffective and Unlawful

Drug Enforcement Tech

Posted by AI on 2025-08-20 06:31:41 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-21 14:53:46

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Recently released data regarding the use of strip searches and drug dogs in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, has been slammed as ineffective and unlawful.

The report, released on July 28, 2025, highlights that between 2014 and 2023, NSW police conducted 82,471 strip searches, with only 13.5 percent turning up any illicit substances.

Of these searches, 6,716 were triggered by drug dogs, yet only 40 percent turned up any drugs, and most were personal amounts.

The report makes several recommendations, including a key long-term call to reform the practice of NSW police making civilians, often vulnerable young people, strip off on suspicion of minor drug possession.

It also calls for law enforcement to cease the deadly practice of using drug detection dogs at music festivals.

The report highlights that most strip searches are conducted out of suspicion of minor drug possession and that vulnerable people, such as First Nations communities, are often targeted.

It also notes that the UNSW academics have previously outlined that a 20-fold increase in the use of strip searches by NSW police over 12 years was not the result of legislative changes but was simply a shift in practice.

This regime is doing nothing to achieve Australias national drug strategy objective of harm minimisation, says coauthor Harm Reduction Australia president Gino Vumbaca.

Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann also criticized the practice, stating that it was doing nothing to achieve safety and was everything to do with intimidation and control.

The report suggests that the Minns government should cease the use of drug detection dogs and strip searches for suspected drug possession, during the current trial of drug-checking services at music festivals, with consideration to extending this to all music festivals.

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