Punters Charged With Drug Offences At Secret Garden Festival

As the debate of Australian music festivals and drug laws wage on, police have confirmed that more punters were charged with drug offences at Camden's Secret Garden Festival yesterday, though the figure is minute when compared to the crowd attendance. 

As per a statement released by NSW police this morning, just seven festival-goers were charged on the first of the two-day event held at Brownlow Hill Loop Road, which attracted a turnout of about 3000.

With assistance from a dog unit, Camden Local Area Command conducted an investigation which saw them find just 15 drug detections after searching 116 people and 99 vehicles. 

The seven charged were issued Field Court Attendance Notices for 11 offences, which included possession of a prohibited drug and supplying a prohibited drug.

They all have been granted conditional bail and will appear at Picton Local Court on 26 April.

Yesterday's results will no doubt irk those against the country's current stance on drug laws, given how the police operation found such few offences.

It comes on the back of comments made by Deputy Premier of New South Wales Troy Grant last week on ABC's Four Corners, who slammed the idea of pill testing at music festivals because it would affect the taxpayer. 

"What you’re proposing there is a government regime that is asking for taxpayer’s money to support a drug dealer’s business enterprise," Grant said.

"That’s not going to happen in New South Wales while I'm Minister."

The police operation will recommence today for the second day of Secret Garden.