Pupils strip-searched for drugs

12 March 2012 Last updated at 16:05 ET

A mother says she is outraged after her son and nine other boys were strip-searched at school on suspicion of carrying drugs in their underwear.

Police arrested two pupils, aged 15 and 16, after searching the group of year 11 boys at John Port School in Etwall, Derbyshire, on 9 March.

Officers had received a tip-off the pupils were sneaking the drugs into the school in their underwear.

The mother, whose son was not arrested, said parents were not told in advance.

She said: "He's just very distraught by it all - very embarrassed. I feel my child has been victimised.

"For police to actively go into the school and physically strip-search your child without your permission or knowledge, I'm outraged as I'm sure any parent would be."

Police said the operation was carried out using powers provided by the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Insp Paul Cannon said: "We had very specific intelligence about how the drugs were being brought into the school and the fact they were being brought in in the children's underwear.

"We have a duty to investigate criminality and, particularly with drugs, protect vulnerable people from coming into contact with these drugs."

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Pupils strip-searched for drugs