Dealers suspected of swallowing drugs will be detained in police custody suites until the evidence passes through them.

Suspected criminals will be taken to a Customs drug suite at Gatwick until nature takes it course.

There are plans for a purpose-built drugs recovery suite in Brighton in the next few years and a suite is set to open in Worthing later this year.

During a pilot scheme run by Hove and Shoreham division, one man lasted 15 days and a suspected drugs courier arrested at Gatwick was kept in for 48 days.

Detective Constable Ian Thompson is a member of a new crime team being set up to tackle drug dealers as part of the combined force in Brighton and Hove from April 1.

He said: "Without the drugs there is no evidence and we have to let suspects go.

"By using the facilities at Gatwick we can recover the evidence and charge them with possession with intent to supply, which carries a maximum 14-year prison sentence.

"Dealers use mules who carry a mixture of 20 wraps of crack and heroin in their mouths in batches of ten, one on each side of their mouths.

"It makes the drugs easy to swallow if they are stopped but they put their lives at risk.

"These facilities mean people have medical treatment on hand if a bag bursts inside them.

"It costs £600 a day in terms of police time but that is nothing compared to the benefits of taking a dealer off the streets."

Last year, two dealers were arrested in Hove, convicted and jailed for ten and 11 years respectively, after their mules gave evidence against them. Karl Freeman and John Lee hid drugs in children's parks in Hove and drove the couriers around with drugs in their mouths as they sought custom.

The mules were under orders to swallow the drugs if they were stopped by police.

Sergeant Paul Furnell, anti-crime co-ordinator for Hove, said: "If you come to Brighton and Hove to sell drugs we are going to find you. If you try to escape arrest by swallowing those drugs we are going to recover them and use them as evidence."