Met launches crackdown on vape-spiking as they target bars, clubs and party boats

The Metropolitan Police launched a crackdown on vape-spiking across London’s bars, clubs and party boats after reports that vapes were being tampered with in nightlife settings, including cases involving children as young as 14. Officers are deploying near-infrared detectors and other mobile drug-testing gear to test suspected devices rapidly across the capital.

Officials say the scale of the problem may be larger than reported as spiking incidents are often not logged. In south-east London last year, five pupils from a school in Eltham fell ill with vomiting and confusion after using a spice-laced vape; emergency services attended the scene and one pupil was placed in an induced coma but later recovered. In Wiltshire, spice was found across secondary schools in July, prompting officials to issue a warning to parents. A recent study found that about one in six vapes confiscated from schoolchildren in England were laced with spice.

To aid rapid identification, police are testing a range of equipment, including near-infrared detectors that test powders and tablets suspected of containing controlled drugs, and a vape-spiking detector supported by a mobile phone app. The force says the new kit is part of a broader push to disrupt offenders and protect students, part of a national emphasis on public health and safety in nightlife districts.

During Fresher’s Week, the Met’s Marine Support Unit joined with Home Office minister Jess Phillips to lead patrols of party boats at Westminster Pier, aiming to deter and detect offences on the river. Licensing teams, drug dogs, safer-transport units and a central Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) team supported the effort, with a focus on Thames venues.

Police say there were more than 2,000 allegations of spiking reported between March 2024 and March 2025, though the force cautioned that the true scale is likely higher because many incidents go unreported. Spiking remains disproportionately a crime against women and girls, with data showing 66% of victims in August 2025 were female. Reports clustered around busy nightlife hubs, with 17% of cases linked to Westminster and the West End.

Public-safety officials said the efforts are part of a wider push under the Violence Against Women and Girls strategy to protect women and girls across London, including partnerships with licensing authorities and the night-time economy to disrupt offenders, raise awareness and support victims. Spiking Intensification Week, a national initiative led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the Home Office, is funding the expanded efforts with about £100,000 to test schemes across forces and evaluate what works.

Mr Russell said, "Spiking is an abhorrent crime that we are tackling head on, whether it takes place in a nightclub, a private venue, or on the Thames. The ongoing trial of new vape-spiking detection kits is just one example of how we are innovating to get ahead of offenders and better protect the public. This is part of our wider commitment under the VAWG strategy to protect women and girls across London. We are working with partners in licensing, education and the night-time economy to disrupt offenders, raise awareness and, crucially, support victims."

Ms Phillips added, "As students across the country enjoy Freshers Week, we are determined to tackle the vile crime of spiking. That’s why we are funding a national Spiking Intensification Week to raise awareness, support police forces to use innovative tactics, and encourage victims to report this crime. We are also working with bars, pubs and clubs to roll out specialist training for staff and introducing a new criminal offence for spiking to bring more perpetrators to justice."

Former Love Island contestant Sharon Gaffka joined the Met officers and Ms Phillips on the operation, recounting how she herself was spiked years ago and stressing the importance of updated testing as spiking methods evolve. She spoke about witnessing new testing capabilities and highlighted concerns that spiking has moved beyond drinks to tainted vapes and other methods.

Authorities emphasised that ongoing testing and enforcement efforts will continue to expand to schools and nightlife venues, with the Home Office supporting broader staff training and a push to enact a new offence criminalising spiking to ensure more offenders are held to account. The spotlight remains on protecting young people as Freshers Week unfolds and communities work to curb a crime with broad health and safety implications.