NSW Police charge 17 in first-ever drug operation at Australia's Burning Man
New South Wales police with sniffer dogs have conducted the first-ever drug operation at Burning Seed - an Australian version of Burning Man.
Officers seized "a large variety of drugs" including cannabis, mushrooms, cocaine and ketamine. Seventeen people have been charged at the "deep space" themed event.
Burning Seed at 'Red Earth City' in the Matong Forest an hour west of Wagga Wagga describes itself as an "experimental gathering dedicated to creativity, collaboration and a cash-free community".
It's been running for seven years and this year organisers sold 3800 tickets, each costing $185, to the five-day "out-of-this-world" experience.
The festival culminates in the burning of a wooden temple and a 13-metre effigy. At Burning Man in Arizona this year, a man died after running into a burning effigy.
At Burning Seed, arriving 'burners' are hugged by volunteer 'greeters'.
But this year, before they could enter the "deep space" of Matong Forest, they first had to pass through a NSW Police roadblock.
According to Rodney, also known as Surge OfPsy, the volunteer second-in-command on the front gate, arriving burners were surprised to see the drug operation.
"People turned up and they spread on social media about the police presence," he said.
"Everyone was surprised still.
"They were like, 'oh well that's what's going to happen'."
Acting Inspector Maggie Deall from Wagga Wagga police station told Hack that police have liaised with organisers for the last several months and began a "rostered presence" on Wednesday, the first day of the five-day festival, that would continue to Monday.
After two days on the gate police had conducted 200 random breath tests, searched 46 people and 27 vehicles and seized 70 different "drug exhibits".
"Police are very concerned with the amount of drugs that people are trying to take into the festival and the danger to their health and safety," she said.
Rodney told Hack Burning Seed was not like other music festivals and the people attending were mostly an older generation who went to folk festivals.
"I'm 35 and I'm one of the younger ones there really," he said.
"It's not a drug-fuelled music festival."
"You can lose yourself without having to get inebriated."
Time to move the festival?
As word of the police operation spread to the unofficial Burning Seed Facebook page, some members called for the event to be moved interstate, arguing that New South Wales police had the nation's toughest attitude to drugs and life was better over the border.
Some suggested it should move to the Australian Capital Territory, where the government has approved free pill testing at Spilt Milk Festival in November. It's the first jurisdiction to allow pill testing after years of lobbying by advocates.
A Canberra man wrote: "I advocate for not holding it in NSW or even VIC going forward given how both those State Governments are treating festivals of late like this, come to the ACT where we don't go hard on those responsibly having a good time."
He added: "I do presume standing at Gate, watching someone get arrested and being able to do nothing to help them, must be a very frustrating experience for Gate Crew, having to watch ppl go from "yay seed" to "f**k im being arrested" in front of you guys."
Rodney told Hack there was no plan to move the festival.
"We just have to work with police better."
"They turned up with a warrant and a dog but I think that's just what's happening now."
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Author James Purtill
