The police operation at the Secret Garden Music Festival in Sydney has concluded, NSW Police say.
The Secret Gardens Music Festival is a two day event which was held at Brownlow Hill Loop Road, Camden, from Friday 24 February 2017 to Sunday 26 February 2017.
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.
Over the course of the festival, 44 people were ejected for intoxication, another eight for under-age drinking, and five people were treated for suspected drug overdoses.
Traffic and Highway Patrol officers also conducted over a thousand random breath tests and over 300 random drug tests which resulted in only two positive breath tests but 20 positive drug tests.
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.
"Many festival goers believe it’s safe to consume drugs at a festival. They are wrong. Not only are these drugs illegal, but they can be incredibly harmful and even life-threatening.
"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," said Superintendent Ward Hanson.
