One-hundred and sixteen drug detections were made by the Hume Local Area Command at the Weekend.
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The six day operation was targeting anti-social behaviour and drug related crime at the Dragon Dreaming Festival at Wee Jasper, near Yass.
Along with the 116 detections, police laid 42 drug charges, gave 44 Cannabis Cautions and five charges relating to drug supply. Two people were also taken to hospital with suspected drug-related mental health issues.
Fifty-one drivers gave a positive reading to drugs when police conducted Random Drug Testing. The festival, which attracts around 3000 attendees each year, is known for its high number of drug charges.
Last year 78 drug detections were made and a 23-year-old woman from Sydney died, in 2014 the drug detection count was 72.
Police seized cannabis, amphetamines, MDMA, cocaine, ecstasy, ice, ketamine, LSD, mushrooms, hash brownies and heroin.
Yass Valley mayor Rowena Abbey said the police report from the weekend was disappointing.
“It is disappointing that such a large number of people charged with drug offenses,” she said. “At a festival that I understood to be an overall success. It is also disappointing for the rest of the people that were enjoying a weekend in the Yass Valley.”
“Police worked closely with the organisers of the Dragon Dreaming Festival to make it clear to those attending the festival that drug use,” Chief Inspector John Sheehan said. “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 type of festivals have a culture of drug taking.”
One of was the arrest of a 59-year-old man who will reappear in court next month after his vehicle was stopped on Caves Road, on Saturday.
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. He will reappear at Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday, November 9.
