Sydneysiders declare city’s night-life is dead after sniffer dog video goes viral

Angry punters have declared that Sydney’s “night-life is dead”, after police were seen disturbing customers at a pub over the weekend.

A viral video shared on Reddit of a Sydney venue, has led one user to declare that the city’s “night-life is dead”.

Shared on Monday night, the 11 second clip taken inside the Coaches and Horses pub at Randwick showed police combing the venue with a drug detection dog on a leash.

The caption read: “Taken at a pub in Sydney over the weekend. And the government wonders why the city’s night-life is dead.”

The video ignited a series of comments from people who questioned whether drug sweeps and sniffer dogs at venues were a common feature of Sydney night-life.

“Genuine question – is this “normal” these days in pubs in Sydney? Or was it an unusual thing?” one Reddit user wrote.

“I only ask because it’s been quite a few years (about 25) since I used to frequent a few different pubs around Surry Hills, Glebe, Petersham, etc and don’t remember ever seeing uniformed Police unless there was a problem.”

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Patrons were annoyed police were able to bring sniffer dogs into the venue. Picture: Reddit.

The poster declared it was sign that Sydney’s ‘night-life is dead’. Picture: Reddit.

Others criticised the act for being intrusive to patrons.

“I can appreciate most people’s opinions on policing is not nearly as negative as mine but for the life of me I’ll never understand how people can support this level of invasiveness,” they said.

Another comment read: “How far we have fallen that the: ‘If you haven’t got anything to hide’ mentality is applied not just to things like mass surveillance and monitoring … but now apparently to invasive in person searching and harassment.”

Commenting on the video which was shared on the Facebook page Sniff Off (a collaboration between the NSW Young Greens and Green politician, David Shoebridge), people said the act didn’t belong inside public venues.

“Can someone please explain how cops can bring dogs into a venue. Yet me as a singular person I can’t bring my well trained dog in … discrimination,” wrote one Facebook user.

“Also sniffer dogs aren’t effective.

“And why catch the little guys … you’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

“Can we just get rid of them please? We don’t need goon squads and their dogs in licensed premises,” shared another user.

In a comment to news.com.au, a spokesperson for NSW Police said that the use of sniffer dogs in venues is standard practice.

“The drug detection dogs and their handlers patrol venues as part of proactivity operations dependent on operational need,” they said.

“There is no schedule for when or where they will attend specific venues.”

A drug detection dogs is seen at a NSW festival. Picture: Sam Ruttyn.

According to NSW law, police can use sniffer dogs to search a person in activities related to “general drug detection,” and do not require prior suspicion of a drug offence.

Under the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002, they are also protected against any liability that may arise from using a dog in and around a premise.

Sydney dubbed Australia’s ‘cocaine capital’

According to an October wastewater report from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Sydney had the country’s highest consumption of cocaine, and the second highest consumption for MDA (a synthetic drug with similarities to LSD and MDMA).

In comparison, Melbourne saw the biggest consumption of methylamphetamine, heroin and ketamine, and had the second highest consumption for cocaine.

Consumption of cocaine, heroin and ketamine in capital cities exceeded consumption in regional areas, however the reverse was true for the use of alcohol, nicotine, methylamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, oxycodone, fentanyl and cannabis.

According to recent wastewater reports, Sydney is the cocaine capital of Australia. Picture: Marcus Brandt/Picture Alliance via Getty Images

Sniffer dogs in Sydney

In September, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet confirmed his “zero-tolerance” approach to drug use.

Responding to the 2020 ice inquiry, he said his government would not call for the decriminalisation of low-level personal drug use, and would continue the use of sniffer dogs and pill testing at festivals.

“I want to make it very clear that the NSW government does not support the recommendation to decriminalise illicit drugs,” he said.

“Drugs have no place in our society, but we know that those who have been caught up in taking drugs need care, support.”

In Australia, the ACT is the only jurisdiction which has moved to decriminalise illicit drugs in small quantities.

Set to come into effect in 2023, this means people found with quantities classified as “personal possession” of drugs including heroin, cocaine and speed will not be criminally prosecuted.

Instead, they will be given fines, cautioned or referred to a drug diversion program.

Originally published as Sydneysiders declare city’s night-life is dead after sniffer dog video goes viral