Officers of the Lower Silesian Customs and Tax Service from Zgorzelec, together with officers from the District Police Headquarters in Lwówek Śląski, conducted inspections in Lwówek County. A dog from the Lower Silesian Customs and Tax Service took part in the operation. (Aria is a Labrador trained to detect drugs).
– The officers selected two passenger cars for inspection – says Agnieszka Rzeźnicka-Gniadek, spokesperson for the Lower Silesian KAS. – In both cases, the drivers’ behaviour indicated that they might be under the influence of intoxicating substances. A drug test confirmed the officers’ suspicions.
Specialist equipment was used during the inspections: a trace narcotics detector, which helps officers from the Lower Silesian Customs and Tax Office in Wrocław in their daily work.
Aria sniffed out illegal marijuana
During the first stop, the driver’s hands were examined with a mobile detector. (The device detected marijuana.) The service dog Aria then repeatedly indicated a cream container during a search of the vehicle; marijuana was inside it. Brass knuckles were also found in the car.
In the second case, the detector detected methamphetamine. The device also found the drug in the driver’s saliva. But that was not all. It emerged that the second driver had neither a driving licence nor third-party liability insurance for the vehicle. Moreover, the car did not have a valid technical inspection.
What is the penalty for driving under the influence of drugs?
KAS:
If driving under the influence of drugs is classified as a misdemeanour, the offender faces arrest or a fine ranging from PLN 50 to as much as PLN 5,000. In addition, the driver may be banned from driving motor vehicles for between six months and three years.
However, if driving under the influence of drugs is deemed a crime, the penalties may include a fine, restriction of liberty or imprisonment for up to two years. In addition, a driving ban of at least three years is imposed.