Overview

• Operation Albenga saw the Marine Support Unit board party boats at Westminster Pier, with Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips observing the patrols.
• The new devices rapidly test vapes for drugs such as THC or synthetic cannabinoids known as spice, and officers also used near infra‑red kits linked to a phone app to check powders and tablets.
• The Met recorded more than 2,000 spiking allegations between March 2024 and March 2025 and says the true scale is higher, with 66% of victims in August 2025 being female.
• Police highlighted a south‑east London case where children as young as 14 were hospitalised after cannabis products were placed into vapes, prompting schools to request testing.
• The operation involved licensing teams, drug dogs, safer transport and the VAWG unit, and reporting from the deployment said drugs were found on boats but no arrests were made.