Police ejected 44 people for intoxication from the Secret Garden Music Festival, which finished at Camden yesterday.
Another eight were ejected for under age drinking and five people were treated for suspected drug overdoses since the festival kicked off on Friday on a farm off Brownlow Hill Loop Road.
In a massive police operation focusing on the festival Traffic and Highway Patrol officers also conducted more than 1,000 random breath tests and more than 300 random drug tests, which resulted in only two positive breath tests but 20 positive drug tests.
The police operation at the Secret Garden Music Festival in Sydney has concluded.
Officers from Camden Local Area Command with the assistance of the Dog Squad, South West Metropolitan Region, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, and the Alcohol and Licensing Enforcement Command conducted a high visibility operation aimed at targeting the use and supply of prohibited drugs, alcohol-related crime, and anti-social behaviour within the festival.
During the operation, police searched 255 people and 148 cars which resulted in 36 detections for prohibited drugs including MDMA, LSD, cocaine, mushrooms and cannabis.
Camden Local Area Commander, Superintendent Ward Hanson, said that despite all the warnings issued by police, people still brought drugs into the festival.
“While the majority of people who attended were well behaved, police detected a number of people attempting to bring drugs into the event.
“There was a significant increase in the number of people who were detected attempting to bring prohibited drugs into the festival, even though police issued a number of warnings prior to the event.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Many festival goers believe it’s safe to consume drugs at a festival. They are wrong.[/social_quote]
“Not only are these drugs illegal, but they can be incredibly harmful and even life threatening,’’ Supt Hanson said.
“Some people chose to not only endanger their own lives but the lives of others by driving under the influence of drugs.
“Drug driving is extremely dangerous, and puts the driver, passengers, and other road users at an extreme risk by this reckless and stupid behaviour.’’
