Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, Sept 25, 2025
LONDON, UK – The chilling crime of spiking has moved from dark corners of nightclubs to the glittering lights of the River Thames, forcing police to step up the fight with unprecedented tactics.
The Metropolitan Police Service has launched a dramatic new operation targeting the capital’s bustling party boats—a notorious fixture of Freshers’ Week—amid a terrifying rise in reports.
Dubbed Operation Albenga, the crackdown sees officers from the Met’s Marine Support Unit, licensing teams, and central Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) team patrolling the river, including proactive checks on vessels embarking and disembarking at Westminster Pier.
Their new weapon in the war against predators? Cutting-edge vape-spiking detection equipment.
The Invisible Threat of Vapes Spiking, the despicable act of secretly introducing drugs or alcohol into a person’s body, is a deeply invasive and premeditated crime. Between March 2024 and March 2025, the Met received over 2,000 allegations of spiking—around 150 every single month—a number police admit is likely the tip of the iceberg due to underreporting.
The statistics reveal a devastating truth: this is a crime of dominance disproportionately targeting women.
In August 2025, a staggering 66% of victims were female, with a huge 17% of reports linked to busy nightlife venues in Westminster and the West End.
But the threat is evolving. Police are now seeing cases of vapes being tampered with, often shared among young people, leading to serious illness and, in some instances, hospitalisation. The new equipment allows officers to rapidly test vapes suspected of containing drugs like THC or Spice, bringing an immediate response to a growing menace.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ben Russell called the crime “abhorrent” and stressed the force is tackling it “head on, whether it takes place in a nightclub, a private venue, or on the Thames.”
‘A Life-Altering Experience’
For survivors like Sharon Gaffka, the Met’s proactive approach is a welcome relief. Having been spiked herself, the experience was “life-altering,” she said.
“Having your autonomy and memory taken from you is utterly devastating,” Ms Gaffka explained. “The fact that it disproportionately affects women at the hands of men underlines that this is about power, dominance and the attempt to push women out of public life.”
The Met’s efforts are part of a wider commitment under its VAWG strategy.
Alongside the new vape technology, officers are trialling mobile near infra-red detectors that can quickly identify a wide range of powders and tablets—all supported by a mobile phone app—to secure crucial early evidence.
This focus on innovation is beginning to see results. The charge rate for VAWG offences has tripled in the last three years, with the force also rolling out Project Vigilant: uniform and non-uniform officers specially trained to spot predatory behaviour in public spaces.
Minister for Safeguarding and VAWG, Jess Phillips, confirmed the government is backing the police with a national Spiking Intensification Week and is committed to introducing a new criminal offence for spiking to bring more perpetrators to justice.
For all those heading out, especially students celebrating Freshers’ Week, the message from police is clear: being spiked is never your fault.
“If you think you’ve been spiked, please come forward,” said DAC Russell. “The sooner we know, the more we can do to support you, collect evidence and stop dangerous offenders from targeting others.”
Need to Report Spiking?
* If a crime is in progress, call 999.
* For recent or non-recent cases, you can report it to the police by calling 111.
