NSW Police officers from the Port Stephens Local Area Command have charged 20 people with various drug offences following the first day of the Subsonic Music Festival, and claim that future events in the area may be jeopardised.
Police and dog units conducted an operation between 6pm and midnight on Friday, the first night of the electronic music festival, which takes place at Riverwood Downs in the Hunter Valley region.
17 people were arrested and charged for possession of various drugs, including amphetamines, LSD, ketamine, cannabis and ecstasy, while a further three were charged with supply offences.
Among them was a 30-year-old Erskineville man, who police allege was found with an indictable quantity of LSD. He was granted bail and will appear in court on January 9.
Superintendent Chris Craner of the Port Stephens Local Area Command said:
“Police are disappointed and shocked with the number of people carrying drugs and personally putting their own health and the health of others at risk. Consuming a prohibited drug is extremely dangerous – you don’t know what is in the drug, how and where it has been manufactured, or what effects it can have on your body. Port Stephens Local Area Command officers will continue to arrest people in possession of or supplying prohibited drugs at these events.”
He then added:
“The illegal activities at these events will put the future of any such event in this area in serious jeopardy.”
Earlier this year, NSW Police Minister Tony Grant threatened that the state government could “potentially” consider shutting down festivals whose shutting down music festivals whose organisers don’t improve safety standards.
Harm Reduction Australia announced in November that they plan to hand out thousands of free pill testing kids at festivals over the summer, in defiance of the NSW state government’s position on pill-testing trials.
Source: NSW Police.
Photo: Subsonic / Instagram.
