Drug dogs sniff out 42 at Parklife music festival by: Jon Kaila From: Sunday Herald S

[thestudent14]

POLICE arrested 42 revellers for drug possession at Parklife music festival yesterday.
Officers said the number of arrests - and an additional 11 ejections - was "really staggering".

Partygoers were caught with cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis.

Acting Inspector Don Brown said despite a huge police presence, youngsters were still "trying to get away with it".

More than 60 uniformed and plainclothes officers and two police dogs patrolled the Sidney Myer Music Bowl throughout the event, which was attended by 17,000 people.

"We have made our presence as big and well publicised as possible. We are right at the entrance to the event, yet people still keep trying to get away with it," Acting Insp Brown said.

"It's really staggering we are getting these arrest numbers and it is worrying because it means youngsters are not listening and if it continues in these large numbers, it will be a terrible summer."

Police dogs move throughout the crowds and sit when they detect drugs. Victoria Police said about one arrest was made for every five people searched.

"The dog's smell is far better than a human's. When they detect narcotics they sit at the source of the smell, in this case the person," Acting Insp Brown said.

"Even if a person had drugs in their pockets the night before, or have residue on them, the dogs will detect it."

Officers then search the person, including all items on them.

"We are finding girls with pills stuffed in their hair, cannabis stuffed in the back of phones, drugs concealed in sunscreen bottles and gum packets - we've seen everything," Acting Insp Brown said.

Anyone with three tablets or less, or less than 50g of cannabis, is placed on a drug counselling course, which if completed means no further action is taken.

However, two of the 42 arrested yesterday were taken to a police station because one had prior convictions and the other was in possession of three different drugs.

Meanwhile, hundreds of revellers complained about waiting hours to collect pre-paid tickets.

Taryn Elder, 25, said she was forced to wait almost three hours, missing the Yacht Club DJs, an act she had specifically bought tickets to see.

"It's extremely disappointing," she said.

No one could be reached for a comment on the ticket delays

Hmm... I feel sorry for guys who get busted for this. When there is most likely 1000's of people doing the same thing (seeing 17,000 attended) and just the unlucky few dozen get done.

Best thing in this article though is that three tablets or less, or less than 50g of cannabis just has to a drug counselling course with no more further action (provided they have no priors).
I'd be pretty suprised if people were taking over 50g of weed in. Seriously who needs to take in 2 ounces for a day? Even amongst a decent crew of friends.

Three pills I think is reasonable, but I think in future I'll never mix what I bring in, I normally take in a few bics and some whip (meth) aswell. I think in future I'll just have some whip before I go in and then only take in a max
of three bics or caps. As far as the warnings not being heard, I actually haven't heard any thing coming up to this event. Normally before some of the other festivals I hear a few adds on the radio and what not, but I haven't heard a thing. But even more so, if I had I would still chance it, saddens me what it can do to someones career for doing something that hurts no one.
Is dropping a pill any more dangerous then being drunk and being on a mates shoulder, and wrestling with someone doing the same?

 

[headdah]

We live in a fucked up time bro. When the society is ok with people self medicating them selfs with alchohol everyday. but if you take some chemicals that will make you love the world make you feel the world loving you back with no chance of you getting rowdy of violent at all you will be a criminal for doing so. When the society allows people to be drunk and violent and rowdy blah blah blah

Its just not cool.

I hope the law changes soon

 

[Sustanon]

This is the very reason why I hate and dont go to festivals in Australia. Its complete shit! and makes me angry. Wherever u go in Europe whether its a club or festival ur literally safe. Theres also waaay less violence over there. Stop wasting our money and resources and go catch sum real criminals instead of causing missery for people who are just there to have fun. Man if I have molly everyones my friend and there is no violence. When will they wake up??
End rant! LOL

 

[lowlife]

go catch sum real criminals instead of causing missery for people who are just there to have fun.

YESSSSSSSS!! Fuck, all the murderers, rapists, child abusers, GO CATCH THEM.

 

[ayjay]

Interesting that police themselves acknowledge strike rate with dogs is about 1 in 5.

As far as amounts for diversion to counselling sessions (50g/3 pills etc) - that's up to arresting officers' discretion. They could just as easily decide to charge you with possession and it's off to court we go.

 

[L3inad]

YESSSSSSSS!! Fuck, all the murderers, rapists, child abusers, GO CATCH THEM.

Stop wasting our money and resources and go catch sum real criminals instead of causing missery for people who are just there to have fun. Man if I have molly everyones my friend and there is no violence. When will they wake up??

We live in a fucked up time bro. When the society is ok with people self medicating them selfs with alchohol everyday. but if you take some chemicals that will make you love the world make you feel the world loving you back with no chance of you getting rowdy of violent at all you will be a criminal for doing so. When the society allows people to be drunk and violent and rowdy blah blah blah

Its just not cool.

I hope the law changes soon

"You must be the change you want to see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi

Sign some petitions and write some letters to MP's[sample letter in link below]. We can bitch for decades on here (and we have been...) shit aint gunna change unless we make it.

See here - http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/571125-Australian-centric-quot-Pro-drug-law-reform-quot-thread-how-to-do-your-bit Time to fix this shit, those kids getting rolled by the dog squad dont need a blemish on their record for doing absolutely no wrong. Good luck getting a job now guys 8)

 

[Christ!]

Anyone with three tablets or less, or less than 50g of cannabis, is placed on a drug counselling course, which if completed means no further action is taken.

I like this bit.

Well said L3inad.

 

[kroniic]

42 people out of 17,000. Wonder how many people go through, how can they justify resources spent on a strike rate like that. I've been pulled up by the dogs and grilled when I had nothing when a mate carrying enough to deem him supply walked right past. These dogs are bullshit, and it's not their fault, it's the police dog handlers.

 

[belarki]

Funny an article on this in the Courier Mail today noted police would be conducting "random" searches for drugs at the Brissy event... I thought that was illegal and that they needed reasonable suspicion for a search (e.g. postive reaction from a sniffer dog). I'm hoping it's just poor research from the journalist?

 

[Rolling Sly]

^ Im not sure if they bend the law by doing that but I talked to a dude who was strip searched and everything on no real grounds at all. Pants off, squat and the lot I guess phat pants are evidence enough to them8)

 

[L3inad]

^ Im not sure if they bend the law by doing that but I talked to a dude who was strip searched and everything on no real grounds at all. Pants off, squat and the lot I guess phat pants are evidence enough to them8)

Dont know if I'm the only one thats noticed this, but when these knew Knife/weapon based search rules came in (ie. no consent required for an officer to conduct a search for weapons) clearly they were going to be abused to also search for drugs.

But anyway... around the time these laws came in people wearing rave gear (phatties etc) all but dissappeared from the CBD. Fair enough it was on the decline anyway, but its sad to see it go almost completely and interesting to note the timeing fitting in with these laws...

Fucking no rights these days, can even wear a set of colourfull pants in public without getting patted down

 

[Blanch]

"It's really staggering we are getting these arrest numbers and it is worrying because it means youngsters are not listening and if it continues in these large numbers, it will be a terrible summer."


Like it surprising to them that people do drugs at festivals... give me a break

 

[poledriver]

About 18,500 people attended the festival at the Sydney International Regatta Centre, where local police and the Dog Squad monitored the behaviour of festival goers.

During the day police conducted 550 person searches, with 81 people issued with court attendance notices for drug possession, mainly for ecstasy and cocaine.

^ DefQon1 at Penrith.

 

[drug_FUCKED]

It didn't always used to be this day but in MDMA hey day.
Shame the love that was so great about festivals are gone replaced shit drugs and sniffer dogs.
Sniffer dogs can be beat easy btw.
isn't there something can can spray on ya dog when they are on heat
always a good tip is get someone with no drugs on them to sprinkle small amounts of weed and drugs all over themself to walk straight up to sniffer dog then the person with drugs walks right behind them. like sprinkle speed and shit all over there feet and crums of weed etc.
team work people
fuck the police they are lame and never stopped me getting off chops

 

[Esotericism]

Funny an article on this in the Courier Mail today noted police would be conducting "random" searches for drugs at the Brissy event... I thought that was illegal and that they needed reasonable suspicion for a search (e.g. postive reaction from a sniffer dog). I'm hoping it's just poor research from the journalist?

They seem to just do what they want most of the time. Two of my friends were searched outside Creamfields last year after commenting how the person next to them looked like an undercover. Turns out he wasn't but the person on the other side of them was. Luckily neither of them had anything on them.

 

[Mr Blonde]

We live in a fucked up time bro. When the society is ok with people self medicating them selfs with alchohol everyday.

I think the tide is starting to turn on alcohol as well. Albeit a lot more slowly. I think a combination of the realization of the horrors of alcohol and tobacco combined with the realistic dangers of currently illegal drugs (when people can actually be educated on the actual dangers), will eventually be a step in the direction of drug reform.

fuck the police

I will second this.

 

[my innerself]

I just hope we don't have another death over this festival season due to someone swallowing all their drugs after seeing the sniffer dogs.

 

[my innerself]

I think it would be good if everyone brought along a super soaker full of bong water and sprayed that shit everywhere around the grounds hahaha

 

[thestudent14]

I think it would be good if everyone brought along a super soaker full of bong water and sprayed that shit everywhere around the grounds hahaha

lmao! Actually the best idea, just do it the night before a festival. Then again, that might just get the dogs picking up a scent on everyone and more people would get searched.

 

[Christ!]

fuck the police

I honestly kind of dig the police...

My experiences with them have been mostly good.

1. Got robbed in broad day light in the middle of town. A group stole a backpack off my back, chased after them with a stranger who offered to help, called the police while chasing them.

Police were quick to respond and went to the place they were hiding, arrested them, the officer checked my backpack to make sure they hadn't stashed anything....he asked me if that was my glass bong and weed and I said yes. He said I'd been through enough for one day and left the quarter ounce of weed and bong in backpack. Proceeded home to smoke bongs. Had to go into the police station to do a report and was worried the guy would mention it, he didn't say a thing though

2. Mate got pulled over, 4 people in the car. Told us there was a robbery nearby and asked to check the car, one of the occupants was gurning heavily and mistakenly left a 10 pack on the seat. The officer saw it and my friend owned up and told him that they were his..officer let us go but kept my friend. Apparently the officer tipped them out next to a stormwater drain, crunched them with his boot and kicked the remnants into the drain. He then proceeded to drive my friend home to his place, walked him up to the door and had a word to his parents about what went on (he was under 18 at the time)

3. At schoolies, a girl that went to my school went missing. She was absolutely off her face at the time, and we knew that she could have been in trouble with what she'd taken. Looked for about an hour, calling around, looking for her along the beach/streets. Decided to ask the police for some help, and they drove us round looking for this missing girl for probably 45+ minutes, we found her eventually walking her self home (50km walk 8)) - the police we were with had their shift ending, we didn't have any transport so they offered to drive her home (out of their way) and then drop us where the party was on their way back.

I've had a couple other good ones but cbf typing anymore.

Have had bad experiences - 3 unmarked cars rolled up on me and my mate at a park in town, onto the grass. Had obviously spotted us smoking bongs and proceeded to search us, found a small bit of weed and then made us show our arms to check for trackmarks Got a drug counselling session for that (which is fair enough I guess should have been in school)

I've been known to enjoy some nwa in the past I like the song but don't so much agree with the whole thrashed to death slogan. Not picking on anyone, I'm sure they have good reasons why they think what they do.

tha police

edit: This was all in my younger days, haven't had any contact with the police in years.