A young man has been charged with supplying prohibited drugs which may have caused the deaths of two young men at Sydney’s Knockout Outdoor festival.
Trong Ha Nguyen was arrested while trying to board a plane at Sydney airport, for allegedly supplying the drugs that killed two of Knockout’s attendees.
According to reports, Nguyen was in possession of over $13,000 cash when arrested. He was then taken to Mascot police station and charged with dealing with property proceeds of crime of less than $100,000, and supplying a self-administered prohibited drug causing death.
Nguyen was denied bail at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court, and will return November 30th.
Of the deceased, one is a 21-year-old who attended the music festival, and could not be revived after he collapsed shortly after the event. He was declared dead on Sunday morning at St Vincent’s hospital of suspected drug overdose.
The other, Jason Lee, a 26-year-old male, who is also suspected to have died of a drug overdose at Knockout, collapsed at the festival.
“His last breaths were used on telling me he will send his location and to come find him,” according to a close friend who was with him at the time of his collapse.
A GoFundMe has been set up by Lee’s close friend to alleviate the costs of his funeral to his family, uplifting him as a loyal and kind friend who supported his single mother.
“He never shared his burdens and even in his last moments, he could barely ask for help,” states the GoFundMe page, which reached beyond its $35,000 target.
Police are currently investigating if the cause of death for both young men is a drug overdose, stating they, “look at all avenues. Anything could have happened.”
Detective Superintendent Simon Glasser said police will confirm cause of death once they autopsies have been completed. “Drugs can have some horrible consequences,” he said.
“When you mix that with the heat of yesterday, it’s an added risk factor that can cause adverse effects.”
Of the 53,000 attendees at Knockout Outdoor, 27 people were charged with drug possession.
The two deaths, as well as 10 other hospitalisations, have sparked even more calls for pill-testing at music festivals.
