NSW Police Make Mass Arrests At Festivals Across The Weekend

NSW Police have been kept very busy over the weekend, with multiple arrests and charges made across three major festivals.

A police report has revealed one punter was charged with supplying a prohibited drug at day one of Soundwave in Sydney yesterday, while 15 field court attendance notices for drug offences were also handed out at the event, held at Olympic Park. These offences included possession of MDMA, cocaine, LSD, speed and cannabis, with a further 25 cannabis cautions issued to other punters.

Another police report on Secret Garden Festival, held on Friday and Saturday in Camden, said that a total of 16 punters have been charged with drug-related offences, with an alleged 33 drug detections for substances including MDMA, cocaine, LSD and cannabis. Police at the event, which took place at Brownlow Hill Loop Road, also handed out another 17 cannabis cautions to festival-goers.

Fairfax are also reporting that there were 60 people detected with illicit drugs at Future Music Festival at Randwick Racecourse yesterday. The article also reports that three punters were taken to hospital from the event, with one said to be in a serious condition.

Police confirmed late last week that high-visibility sniffer dog operations would be taking place at the events held this weekend, in particular Future and Soundwave.

Soundwave continues in Sydney today, as well as Brisbane, while Future takes place in Perth.

UPDATE: Police have indicated that six field court attendance notices for drug offences were issued at day two of Soundwave. They issued three criminal infringement notices for possesses knife, excluded person re-enter licensed premises, and fail to quit.

They also corrected their figures from Secret Garden, confirming that 16 people were charged with drug-related offences. During the dog operation police conducted 163 person searches and 60 vehicle searches.