Almost half the punters driving to and from Strawberry Fields music festival near Cobram last weekend tested positive to drugs, shocking police who set up the road blocks around the area and conducted the operation with highway patrol units and sniffer dogs.
51 of the 124 punters tested returned a positive result, while 77 people were charged with possession of illegal substances, 35 committed traffic offenses and another 3 were charged with drink driving.
Eastern Region Inspector David Ryan said that the number of positive readings was “astounding”:
“We are happy that we have been able to remove these drivers from the road however disappointed in how many people appear to think that it is okay to drive whilst impaired… it is obvious to us that the people attending this event have held little regard for the safety of other road users.”
This was Strawberry Fields’ fifth year running, with a lineup featuring Moodymann, Tiga, Silent Jay, Andras Fox, Leaks and Oisima. Event organisers strongly discourage drug use on their official website, stating, “The possession, use and sale of controlled substance is illegal and not be tolerated.”
However, drug use is on the rise at the boutique festival each year, with Inspector Ryan adding, “This has been the third year we have policed the festival and each year our seizures have increased.”
(via Tone Deaf)
