MORE than £1,000 in suspected crack cocaine was seized from a teenage girl in the men’s toilets at the bus station.

The 17-year-old was seen entering the men’s toilet at around 1pm on Tuesday and following a strip-search, she was found to have a tightly wrapped package of the suspected class A drug hidden underneath her clothes.

Town centre officers had been patrolling the bus station area in a bid to keep down antisocial behaviour following a major operation to tackle street drinkers, when they made the arrest.

PC Paul Bezzant, beat manger for the town centre, said it was believed the girl, from the London area, may have been part of an out-of-town supply chain looking to peddle drugs in Swindon.

He said: “Due to recent concerns from the community of suspicious activity at the bus station, Newbridge Square the Central NPT officers have been focusing patrols at the location.

“At 1pm on Tuesday, February 19, we conducted a Section 23 Misuse of Drugs Act in the area which resulted in the arrest of a 17-year-old female from the London area.

“She was located in the male toilets of the bus station after officers made suspicious observations. During a strip-search, class A drugs with an estimated street value of £1,100 were recovered.

“The quantity indicates that the suspect was transporting the drugs into the area and was looking to supply substance abusers in the area – it is not an amount associated with personal use.

“It is a good seizure because we know the harm it can cause individuals and also the knock-on effects on antisocial behaviour and crime.

“The drug is suspected to be crack cocaine and has been sent away for analysis while the woman has been bailed as enquiries continue.

“We would like to remind the public we rely on their and information in our fight to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.”

Anyone with any information on drug activity in the area should contact 101, swindontowncentrenpt@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk or call Crimestoppers, where information can be left anonymously, on 0800 555 111.