Summerfieldayze, Big Day Out cops undercover in drug sting

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Summerfieldayze, Big Day Out cops undercover in drug sting

Greg Stolz

January 04, 2009 11:00pm

Courier Mail

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0...01-3102,00.html

 

GROOVY undercover cops disguised as dance music lovers are crashing the party for drug-taking revellers at this summer's music festivals.

 

The covert cops nabbed dozens of patrons for possessing ecstasy and other drugs at the Summerfieldayze festival on the Gold Coast at the weekend.

 

And they are warning the blitz will continue during upcoming music festivals like Good Vibrations and the Big Day Out.

 

Undercover and uniformed police charged 37 people with mostly drug offences during Summerfieldayze on the Southport Spit on Saturday.

 

They also issued more than 100 liquor offence notices and evicted 16 patrons.

 

Gold Coast police superintendent Jim Keogh said police were not party-poopers but were determined to ensure the safety of patrons after a spate of drug overdoses at new year's dance parties in Melbourne.

 

"If they pass out from drugs in a big crowd, lives are at risk and we have to get them out," he said.

 

"We employed the same sort of early intervention strategies that we have for events like Schoolies, Indy and New Year's Eve and it worked very well. We didn't have sniffer dogs, but we had undercover and uniformed police performing a lot of detain and search work."

 

Among those searched were four bikies who left the festival soon after being stopped by police, Supt Keogh said.

 

Most of the charges were for possessing ecstasy pills, he said.

 

Police also arrested another 23 Summerfieldayze patrons on 29 charges as they headed into Surfers Paradise to party on.

 

Supt Keogh said he was surprised by the number of people taking illegal drugs into music festivals despite the heavy police presence.

 

"Not only are they getting arrested and charged but they are also being evicted, so it turns into a very costly and disappointing day out," he said.

 

"I can't understand how they think they can get away with it and I hope they get the message for Good Vibrations and Big Day Out."

 

Supt Keogh praised Summerfieldayze promoters for co-operating with police.

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Supt Keogh is obviously a fuckwit!