NEWS: Drug arrests at Future Music Festival

[hoptis]

Thirty-six arrested in Vic drugs swoop
March 11, 2007 - 10:19PM

Drug detector dogs and their handlers have helped police arrest 36 people at Melbourne's Future Music Festival.

Police seized a range of party drugs including amphetamines, ecstasy, GHB (Gamma hydroxybutyrate) and cannabis at the midday festival, which attracted 12,000 revellers to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

Of the 36 people arrested, two will be interviewed for drug trafficking offences, police said.

The remaining 34 were cautioned under the drug diversion program, on the condition that they undertake a clinical drugs assessment and seek drug treatment.

Superintendent Stephen Leane said it was disappointing that people continued to smuggle illicit drugs into festivals, despite the police presence.

Passive Alert Detector (PAD) dogs have been a regular presence at music festivals. The dogs and their handlers aim to reduce the supply and demand for illicit drugs.

Penalties for trafficking illicit drugs include a maximum fine of $3,000 and/or up to 15 years jail.

The maximum fine for possession is $500.

The Age

 

[hoptis]

As always, please post any experiences you had with the sniffer dogs at Melbourne or Sydney Future Music Festival.

Cheers

 

[Just_A_Bloke]

Didnt see any dogs there actually.

Good event though

 

[ilikeacid]

Thats an insanly sensational title.. 36 arrested in a drug "swoop" isn't many considering the crowd was 12,000 strong.

Superintendent Stephen Leane said it was disappointing that people continued to smuggle illicit drugs into festivals, despite the police presence.

I see it more as its a shame police keep wasting time and money knowing that at least 75%+ of the crowd are going to "smuggle illicit drugs into the festival".. only 2 charged, what a waste of time!

 

[uk_pman]

I didn't see any sniffer dogs while queuing to get in, although uniformed police were wandering up and down the line.

There was also a uniformed police presence inside the venue.

The arrests and stabbings (which seemed to be just outside the venue) were reported on the TV news tonight (Channels 2 & 7) and I'd paraphrase the police spokesman as saying "Disappointing that there were 38 people arrested, but it is less then previous festivals of this size and type, so maybe the message is getting through". From what I saw - It's not - people are just being a bit more careful.

Sidenote - It's pretty funny to see people who are off their nuts talking to uniformed police at these parties, getting photo's taken and the works. The senior officer was clearly a bit annoyed by the attention, while the two juniors were having a ball.

 

[hoptis]

Another article in The Age repeating the same information about the drug arrests and also some more on the stabbing, as that isn't specifically a drug related issue we don't really need to discuss it here.

Attacker stabs two at dance festival

 

[lovebrisvegas]

The Brisbane future music festival rocked hard, I didn't see a fight all day. The police looked happy talking shit to people who approached them before going back to thier job (same with the staff)... No sniffer dogs either (not that they are needed )

 

[Splatt]

Good to see QLD only used them publically like 3 or 4 times last year!

 

[lv2ski]

futures melbourne

hey all,

i read this and was wondering if anyone was there to encounter it

"The day was also blighted by a heavy presence of drug dogs that led to 36 arrests for possession of amphetamines, ecstasy, GBH and cannabis. Two will be interviewed for drug trafficking offences, while the remaining arrests will be put through the diversion program."

all you melbourneites, does this mean they were in the crowd mingling? had themselves set up at the gate? anything you can shed some light on before the sydney event this weekend?

[EDIT: Threads merged. hoptis]

 

[ilikeacid]

Check the durg detection dogs thread - search engine.

They tend to go anywhere, the crowd (never close to the music cause the dogs can't stand the beat), the line, public transport ect. Don't stress too much though 36 ppl were caught in Melb... out of 15,000+

 

[Splatt]

You could of posted in the news article instead of starting a new thread, makes things tider

In Melbourne there's been a few events now where dogs are inside.. Big Day Out, Earthcore, now this. As said above it would be away from music though.

 

[lv2ski]

thanks

Thanks for the replys guys and sorry about that splat. Sorry mate, still getting used to the site. Finding it really useful tho.

My dog experience in Sydney (one BDO only, where i just walked past them) was that they were only at the entrance to bottle neck all incomers past the dogs. Ive been festivaling for quite a while now but havent seen dogs out and about in the general crowd.

ilikeacid, cheers for the reply. Yeah like every1 up here is a lil nervous cos they seem to be cracking down after the recent death and pma circulation. They even closed a whole event recently as they found lots of ppl with drugs. Like shut down the music and everythign like 5 hours b4 the end. i recognise 36 in 15000 isnt a huge amount of ppl. Even b4 the death of that gal on pma 30 ppl were arrested at harbourlife. I realise its a normal number at an event, every1 is still just a lil on edge up here tho and trying to get as much info as possible, hence the thread.

 

[Serotoner]

I was there for, pretty much, the whole day. i wouldnt be worried if I were you. 'heavy presence of dogs' is bullshit. I saw ONE plain clothed women and a dog walking around outside the venue but not near people/the entrance gates.

 

[Bent Mk2]

Don't stress too much though 36 ppl were caught in Melb... out of 15,000+

Yeah but I'd prefer not to be one of those 36

 

[lv2ski]

cheers seretoner. thats the stuff i wanna hear

keep those sort of responses coming melbourne

 

[hoptis]

Thread rename at OP request and bumped.

 

[frisbeee]

hey i rocked up about 4, and there were 2 dogs outside the entrance, you had to walk past them to get to the line up area, but there was hardly a line at the time. They walked around to where the passouts were given a short time later.
I saw 0 dogs inside.

 

[HottButtaz]

maximum fine of $3000 and 15 years in jail? DAMN those are some uneven terms.

 

[ilikeacid]

I just found out from a 'friend' of mine that he took 250 pills into future with him, not even thinking or worrying about dogs or the police at all 8( 8( He sold them all by the end of the day and reckons he didn't see one cop..

Just goes to show, even though this guy is clearly a moron for taking such an extreme risk, there are plenty of people still out there with dollar signs in their eyes willing to direguard common sense when it comes to selling to a captive audience Its typical isn't it, someone with 250 pills on him, with baggies and intent to sell has a great time a the event, rakes in over $5 Grand, while some poor kid with 2 pills on him or a joint ends up having his day ruined by dogs who do him for posession. That must be justice

 

[esharocks]

We went.. we had a gram of speed.. bagged with pepper.. bagged again with pepper.. washed in vinegar bagged again in curry power.. again in to condoms with PEPPER.. may sound like an extreme.. but the two dogs walked right past us.. we only saw about 4 cops inside... alot of KIDS smacking out of pills tho..

40,000 people are SCATTTERD right now in sydney ahhahahahahahahahaahahah

went off. all the djs were good pitty about the rain!!

sorry WE ARE STILL TALKING ALOT OF SH!T