Police invited to gym for surprise drug test

A police force in the Philippines has locked its drugs squad in a room to test for illegal substances.

The 500 Manila officers thought they were attending a symposium on drug use.

Once inside the gymnasium hall the doors were locked and all officers were tested for drugs. Test results will be known next week.

The agents had been summoned by Narcotics Group (Nargroup) to what was billed as a Symposium on the Metro Manila Drug Situation.

Once all the agents were in, the doors were shut and Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory under Director Marlowe Pedrogosa made preparations for the test.

Nargroup Director Efren Fernandez was all for the surprise drug testing, reports The Manila Times.

He says before the agents can effectively enforce the campaign against drugs, they must be seen to be clean.

A similar 'underhand' drug test had been undertaken by Nargroup last year among 300 agents. Only one agent reportedly failed the test.

Story filed: 11:41 Tuesday 18th December 2001