POLICE and Oxfordshire's Nightsafe partnerships are joining forces today with licensees to combat drug dealers operating in the county's pubs and clubs.

In a joint initiative by Operation Falcon and Nightsafe, posters are being supplied to hundreds of businesses throughout Oxfordshire.

It will drive home to dealers that landlords and club owners will not tolerate drug dealing on their premises and will call the police about anyone found dealing.

The poster gives dealers the challenge "Try dealing drugs with your hands behind your back" and is illustrated with the stark image of dealer in handcuffs.

Thousands are to be distributed by Nightsafe officers from Cherwell, Oxford City, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire to licensees, who will display the posters in their bars and toilets.

Oxfordshire police drugs co-ordinator Det Con Leigh Thompson said: "These posters will let dealers know just how great a risk they are taking if they attempt to peddle their gear in our pubs and clubs.

"Drug dealing in Oxfordshire pubs and clubs is not rife, but it does happen and we want to work with licensees to make sure their businesses are not blighted by it.

"Operation Falcon is here to stay and we will be carrying out further operations like this."

Karen Crossan, Nightsafe Manager for Oxford, says: "We want pubs and clubs to be safe places to go for everyone, from big nightclubs to your local.

"This joint operation will highlight for the public that drug dealing of any sort in a licensed premises will not be tolerated, whether it is in urban or rural locations.

"This poster campaign will work in conjunction with the operations that the Nightsafe schemes in other areas already carry out, using drug dog detection teams to enforce the same message across the county."