WATCH: Large drug haul sparks police concern about festival
UPDATE 6.40pm: MASSIVE drug seizures and disturbing drug testing results are among fresh concerns police hold for the future of a Northern Rivers festival.
Acting crime manager, Mick Smith said police weren't aware of any drug overdoses at the Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival but are concerned about officers' reports up to 60% of party-goers were physically affected by drugs.
Detective Acting Inspector Smith said the figures were bolstered by the random drug testing operation that found one in three vehicles stopped tested positive for prohibited drugs.
"We will be working with the organisers and local government to determine the future of this festival," Det Acting Insp Smith said.
"We are trying to work with these organisations to make these events a safe place for young people to attend."
Event organiser, Erik Lamar said Rabbits Eat Lettuce aimed to promote "healthy living, music, art and culture" and tried to avoid being "seen as a market place for criminals wishing to profit from drug trade."
He said organisers would continue to work with police to prevent gate crashers and drug dealers smuggling in commercial quantities of illegal drugs.
UPDATE 11.50am: A FRENCH national is among a number of alleged drug dealers nabbed by police at a controversial music festival west of Byron Bay on the Easter long weekend.
Acting crime manager for the Richmond Local Area Command, Mick Smith say police allege they found a variety of illegal drugs on a 23-year-old international visitor at the 10th annual Rabbits Eat Lettuce Festival, which was held at a private farm at Kippenduff.
Acting Detective Inspector Smith said the foreigner was found to be in possession of a mixed bag of drugs including magic mushrooms, ketamine, cannabis and MDMA on Saturday, April 15.
He said at least another three people have been charged with supplying and possessing prohibited drugs, which police allege were to be transported to the festival.
Acting Det Insp Smith said the largest find of the weekend blitz was at a mobile drug detection unit set up on the main road into the festival at Fullers Rd, Rappville where police found a massive stash of 2000 tablets believed to be MDMA and a small quantity of cannabis.
A woman, 18 and man, 20 were arrested by police at the site following the seizure of the drugs from their vehicle on Friday, April 14.
The crime manager described the find as "the largest detection" police have had relating to festivals across the command.
Acting Det Insp Smith said police are working to confirm if the tablets seized are MDMA.
He said police are concerned about the uncertain nature of the pills and the risk it would have created a greater risk for those purchasing the drugs.
Acting Det Smith praised the officers involved, saying it was a "good result" for the safety of festival-goers to remove the large haul of drugs from potential circulation at the event.
Last Friday morning, a 21-year old man police allege was en route to the festival was apprehended by police in Centre St, Casino.
Following a search, the officers discovered the man concealed about 76 tablets believed to be MDMA.
He is expected to appear at Casino Local Court on May 3.
The French national, the 20-year-old man and 18-year-old woman were refused bail to appear at Lismore Local Court today.
Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival organiser, Erik Lamar said he is thankful for police efforts in ensuring safety at the event.
"We are grateful to NSW police for the potential prevention of commercial quantities of illegal substances being brought into the event, however it is not known if the offenders caught in casino were en route to the event.
"At this stage it does not appear they were ticket holders," Mr Lamar said.
Festival organisers have come under fire by police previously with the launch party for the 2015 Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival being shut down near Coffs Harbour.
TUESDAY 6.10am: POLICE have arrested and charged two people for drug supply after a vehicle stop south of Casino.
About 11.30am on Friday, police stopped a vehicle at a Random Breath Testing site on Nadabah Street, Rappville.
Police formed cause to search the vehicle, and during the search, allegedly located a large amount of MDMA tablets, and a small amount of cannabis.
Two occupants, a man aged 20 and a female aged 18, were arrested.
They were taken to Casino Police Station where the man was charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of prohibited drug, supply indictable quantity of prohibited drug, and possess prohibited drug.
The woman was charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of prohibited drug, and possess prohibited drug
They were both refused bail and appeared at Lismore Local Court on Saturday, where they were remanded in custody to reappear today.
As a result of these arrests and further inquiries, Queensland Police charged two further males with drug trafficking offences after a search warrant in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane on Saturday.
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