Police have concluded a six day operation targeting anti-social behaviour, alcohol-related crime and drugs at the Dragon Dreaming Festival at Wee Jasper, NSW Police say.
The dance music event was held from Friday (21 October 2016) to Monday (24 October 2016), and attracted about 3000 people.
A high-visibility police operation took place across the event to help ensure attendees enjoyed the festival safely, including officers from the Hume Local Area Command, with the assistance of Monaro LAC, Police Dog Unit, and Traffic and Highway Patrol officers.
During the operation police made 116 drug detections, laid 42 drug charges, gave 44 cannabis cautions and five charges relating to drug supply.
In addition 51 drivers gave a positive reading to drugs when police conducted random drug testing.
Police seized drugs including cannabis, amphetamines, MDMA, cocaine, ecstasy, ice, ketamine, LSD, mushrooms, hash brownies and heroin.
Of note, a 59-year-old man will reappear in court next month after his vehicle was stopped on Caves Road, Wee Jasper, on Saturday (22 October 2016).
Officers searched him and the vehicle and allegedly located drugs. He was charged with three counts of supply prohibited drug and five counts of possess prohibited drug.
The man was refused bail to appear at Goulburn Local Court on Sunday (23 October 2016) where he was granted conditional bail to reappear at the same court on Wednesday 9 November 2016.
Two people were taken to hospital with suspected drug-related mental health issues.
Chief Inspector John Sheehan from The Hume Local Area Command said police worked closely with the organisers of the Dragon Dreaming Festival to make it clear to those attending the festival that drug use, possession or supply would not be tolerated, especially due to the tragic death of a 23 year old female at the festival last year.
"Despite all the warnings and the dangers of drug use, police seizures of prohibited drugs increased substantially from last year. It’s disappointing that these types of festivals have a culture of drug taking," Chief Inspector John Sheehan said.
