Southend police seize nitrous oxide cannisters on seafront

A dispersal order is in place in Southend until 2am tomorrow covering Eastern and Western Esplanade, Marine Parade and the High Street.

It was issued yesterday in response to incidents of anti-social behaviour and concerns raised by traders along the seafront.

Paul Thompson, owner of Pebbles One Café on the seafront, told the Echo there were gangs of youths abusing drugs including cannabis and nitrous oxide, also known as 'laughing gas'.

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Essex Police in Southend has now released images of just a few of the nitrous oxide cannisters seized yesterday amid the reports of anti social behaviour.

Just a few of the nitrous oxide cannisters seized yesterday by Southend police officers. Photo: Essex Police in Southend

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A spokesman for the force said: "We have powers to deal with people under the PSPO and the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.

"We will use these powers and work with partners to deal with anyone using them."

After the dispersal order was issued, Acting Inspector Dave Gardiner of the Southend Community Policing Team said: “We began to see groups of males arriving at the train station and along the seafront in the middle of the afternoon and received multiple calls from business owners who expressed their unease.

“We will take robust action against anyone behaving anti-socially or committing acts of violence.

“There will be a considerable police presence across the city and we will be working with the council’s CCTV operators and our colleagues at the British Transport Police to identify troublemakers and prevent them from spoiling the evening for the law-abiding majority.”