By Anna Edwards

anna.edwards@essnmedia.co.uk

Croydon police began a month-long crackdown on drivers who drink and take drugs on Monday (June 1).

Cops hope that they can provide a deterrent to anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel when over the limit.

Inspector Charlotte Taylor said: "We will be out in force and a it's a real reminder of the dangers of drink driving.

"In the summer months people can be tempted to have a drink after work but we want them to know officers will carry out a series of dedicated patrols and local operations across Croydon.

"This includes stepping up roadside breath tests to test drink driving, and increased use of a series of exercises known as Field Impairment Tests (FITs), designed to test for drugs."

The campaign, which will run throughout June, is supporting the national drive against driving while drunk or one drugs led by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Department of Transport.

Alongside this crackdown, next week sees National Tackling Drugs Week, where police publicise the work they do to tackle drugs and reduce drug-related crime.

As a result Croydon police have revealed how officers have been seizing money off people caught with more than £1,000 on them which they suspect to be from criminal activity.

Detective Constable Jim Cann said: "From the start of this year we have seized £41,500 and last year the total was £350,000.

"What we do is prosecute through civil law, which is based on probability rather than beyond reasonable doubt.

"We get people who might not be prosecuted because there is not enough evidence beyond reasonable doubt to prove they are supplying drugs.

"But we can investigate, take them to court and if we win we can take the money off them."