NEWS: Police vow big day out for drug dogs

[party with care]

yep after years of paranoia of sydney BDO sniffer dogs, not even a bag check!

the dogs are shit in terms of 'drug safety' - i had friends ready to neck 3 in one go if things looked grim.... and i'd definately do it too after the toture of a 6 month legal battle plus $$$$ legal bill for only 2 pills - denitely better option to take them and get yourself to first aid... so how bl00dy horendous that the sniffer dogs be used and create such dangerous behaviour amongst us, even i who tries to practise safe usage

I thought maybe the lack of police presense & simple bag-checks was to have more drug-fucked and non-annoyed people at the sydney BDO this year so they'd have a more peaceful crowd who wouldn't get into flag-related pissed violence? sorry that was my stupid theory on the day.

they prolly finally figured it was a bloody waste of time and money. though they still had two at the train station for the poor buggers catching the trains.

still much more ppl taking the illegal stuff at electronic events IMO, so dogs SNIFF OFF from **** pls...

[EDIT: No event names not already mentioned in news. hoptis]

 

[rtb]

I would have to agree that there would be a higher percentage of patrons at dance events who would be using illegal stuff, but most of these are only a small crowd in comparison to a BDO event with 40+ thousand people attending. Even if only a third of those were using something, that would still be a larger proportion of society than at a dance event.

Either way, they only seem to ever catch users and not the actual dealers. I think the figures released last year NSW resulted in only 17 cases out of over 10,000 arrests actually went to court. The laws in NSW are ridiculous anyway compared to other states,

Even if someone gets arrested and fined, its not going to make them stop using, they'll only be more cautious in the future...

 

[Tresca]

Seriously, i wouldnt even bother going to an event with such a major police presence. It totally puts a damper on the whole thing. I dont know whats happened to this country, it sure aint much fun anymore. It was alright for the bloody baby boomers to trip out during the 60's and 70's and now that theyve turned into boring old farts (no offense to those that havent) they want to ruin it for everyone.

 

[party with care]

Seriously, i wouldnt even bother going to an event with such a major police presence. It totally puts a damper on the whole thing. I dont know whats happened to this country, it sure aint much fun anymore. It was alright for the bloody baby boomers to trip out during the 60's and 70's and now that theyve turned into boring old farts (no offense to those that havent) they want to ruin it for everyone.

i have a friend who has actually decided to leave australia on this very principle. she's had enough of the backward conservative ways and the way it feels like they are getting worse. She is moving to London in May. She finds its getting harder living here being of ethnic background, into her drugs, and gay...

I know its really getting to me too. Why are we going backwards as a society, where they think the worst of everyone, forcing the restriction of such personal freedoms like drugs? the more strict laws they bring in, the more pissed-off and aggressive society is going to get anyway... when will the revolution begin - we are going backwards!!!

Even if someone gets arrested and fined, its not going to make them stop using, they'll only be more cautious in the future...

i can vouch for this first-hand that's for sure If anything it has just made me more active in voicing my opposition to such dracanian (spelling?) laws so in someways made me stronger (in other ways, more pissed off).

thanks Hoptis for heads-up i should have thought of that

 

[MR Candyslut]

I was surprised at the lack of police dogs, and for that matter, lack of police at the Gold Coast BDO. I was even more surprised at the nonchalant attitude so many people demonstrated about their drug use. People were literally pulling out their sacky bags with stacks of pills in them. It almost made me want them to get caught 8)

In relation to the overall policy of sniffer dogs at venues, we all know that it only targets the users who in no way have influence over supply levels. I know it may be a matter of trying to scare users into not using, but all i think is that it forces people to be smarter with their drug use. This is probably a good thing

Although really people, quit whining. Most western countries have a zero tolerance on drugs. I don't support it but it is a pretty prevalent attitude. Sure, some laws may be more draconian than others, but it's not like you are going to be able move to the land of milk and plenty where you can snort coke without any possible repercussions.

 

[ilikeacid]

^I feel its more about headlines. I think (assume) the average cop understands that catching users with a few pills or a spliff isn't actually solving the drug problem and probably a waste of time.. Its more about the image that the authorities have to portray to the 'non-drug taking public, hence the herald sun/channel 9/today tonight watchers.

They need big 'drug bust' headlines or else the general public won't think they're being protected from us dangerous druggies 8)

So as I see it this kind of thing - drug dogs, general police nusiance - will not go away anytime soon. Just dont let the fuckers win.. make sure you still take your drugs and hide em well.. and whatever you do don't tripple drop to save yourself from a pat down its not worth it!!

 

[hoptis]

Even if someone gets arrested and fined, its not going to make them stop using, they'll only be more cautious in the future...

As an observation I have seen some people's attitudes change to drug use at music festivals since the sniffer dogs have been introduced.

Outside of Bluelight there are a lot of drug users who go to large events like BDO who are not as well informed about how the dogs work, their chances of getting caught or the possible legal consequences of being busted.

I have seen quite a few comments on other forums, especially related to dance music and large events where people have claimed to have been scared off bringing drugs to large events like this because of the dogs so on some level they are acting as a deterrent.

It's unlikely though that this will have any real overall impact on the use of these drugs, I mean, it's not as if because of dogs being used at events some group will choose not to buy pills and the dealer will have to flush them down the toilet instead of making a sale.

I've said this before but from a health perspective, it's probably better that young people be taking these drugs at a well organised event with security and first aid on hand rather then on the street or a house party, or even alone which is what the dogs encourage.

 

[sydkiwi]

i have a friend who has actually decided to leave australia on this very principle. she's had enough of the backward conservative ways and the way it feels like they are getting worse. She is moving to London in May. She finds its getting harder living here being of ethnic background, into her drugs, and gay...

I know its really getting to me too. Why are we going backwards as a society, where they think the worst of everyone, forcing the restriction of such personal freedoms like drugs? the more strict laws they bring in, the more pissed-off and aggressive society is going to get anyway... when will the revolution begin - we are going backwards!!!

i can vouch for this first-hand that's for sure If anything it has just made me more active in voicing my opposition to such dracanian (spelling?) laws so in someways made me stronger (in other ways, more pissed off).

thanks Hoptis for heads-up i should have thought of that

The UK's anti rave laws are much harsher than having to walk past a couple of labradors occassionally. At least we still can hold raves etc still without being arrested for merely attending.

ffs 70 got busted - WE'VE HAD THE DRUG DOGS IN SYDNEY FOR THE PAST 5YRS THERE IS NO EXCUSES LEFT FOR GETTING BUSTED.

Feel free to PM me if have any questions on drug dogs ask anyone from Melbourne who chats on MIRC for the past few years just how long I've been seeing the dogs at events.

 

[Auztek]

I was at the Melbourne Big Day Out a bit over a week ago and I did see A drug dog. My friend and I seemed to whisk quickly away into the crowd after that. I am glad the dog didn't come near me. Although it would have probably gone crazy, at night, the whole place smelt like weed...8)

[EDIT: This post and next merged from the Sniffer Dogs thread. hoptis]

 

[rtb]

I was at the Melbourne Big Day Out a bit over a week ago and I did see A drug dog. My friend and I seemed to whisk quickly away into the crowd after that. I am glad the dog didn't come near me. Although it would have probably gone crazy, at night, the whole place smelt like weed...8)

That is odd, I'm pretty sure the Police said they were not going/did not use any dogs at the event, can't find the article atm, anybody else read this?

I think keeping your stash as high on your body as possible is also a good idea, I spent alot of time creatively concieling my stash in my back pack for this eevent and was pleased and relieved to see no dogs...

 

[dls]

Big Day Out help guide to getting past drug buses?

I just heard this tonight, supposedly it was in the Herald Sun (yeah I know, reliable news and hard facts at its best). A friend told me that in a Big Day Out guide/map/handout there was a section devoted to beating the drug buses which included such tips like 'start hyperventalating'... Now I don't condone driving under the influence of anything but I am extremely interested to know if this is true or not (the existence of the help guide not the hyperventalating...)

I have searched news.com.au but couldn't find anything about it. Did any bluelighters come across it?

[EDIT: Threads merged as this is a reference to a sniffer dog guide in the BDO handout. hoptis]

 

[chandler]

Oh god. You don't honestly believe that a newspaper would print a guide to "beating" drug testing do you?

 

[Splatt]

Hyperventilating would give you a dry mouth therefore less saliva would be produced on the circle swab thingy.. When you're asking to put the swab on the sides of your mouth you can also position and move it to look like you're rubbing hard when you're not.

 

[Infinite Jest]

Oh god. You don't honestly believe that a newspaper would print a guide to "beating" drug testing do you?

He's saying that the Herald-Sun reported that a BDO Guide published this information; not the Herald-Sun published it.

 

[Fry-d-]

If such a guide did exist I'm sure it was probably a joke made up by punters and handed out at the event. You would think there is no way the organisers would get involved with something as stupid as that.

 

[Splatt]

They do provide state by state guids though how to deal with sniffer dogs at their events, and what to do and say.

 

[Fry-d-]

Maybe someone has confused the two?

 

[hoptis]

The attached page was scanned in from the Big Day Out 2007 Guide I got in Melbourne, I assume that all the states get the same handout. If you read it there isn't actually anything about beating the sniffer dogs either, more general legal advice on how to deal with police.

Good advice though.