Several people are facing drug charges while more than a dozen people were left critically ill due to drug use at music festivals over the weekend.
Extra safety measures were in place at three Australia Day long weekend festivals in Sydney including increased presence of critical care medical teams and harm reduction measures, such as roving drug educators and free electrolyte drinks.
Drugs are likely to have been a factor in four of nine hospitalisations following the Rolling Loud festival at Sydney Showgrounds on Sunday, NSW Health said.
Police are on high alert as festivals kick off across Australia.
AAP
By midnight on Sunday one female in her 20s was in a critical but stable condition, two others were serious but stable, a male teenager was stable and a male in his 20s was serious but stable after attending the hip-hop festival
It comes as six men aged under 25 were either stable or discharged from hospital after leaving the Hardcore Till I Die festival at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday in critical or serious conditions.
Police accused seven people of drug supply at the event, including a 17-year-old Castle Hill boy with 579 capsules and $2075.
He’s due to face a children’s court on February 20.
Another alleged supplier, aged 25, was allegedly found with 100 MDMA capsules and a knife while a South Australian woman allegedly had 48 ecstasy capsules on her.
A further 16 people are due to face court for drug possession while 30 people were ejected for intoxication.
Adriana Buccianti delivers a petition calling for pill-testing at music festivals to NSW Parliament. (AAP)
AAP
Five people were taken to hospital on Saturday from Electric Gardens in Centennial Park due to suspected drug use, while 55 people were charged with drug possession and one woman accused of MDMA supply.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, whose government footed the bill for the extra protection, said she hoped and prayed people were starting to get the message to not take illicit drugs.
In Victoria, a woman in her 20s and a 24-year-old man are fighting for life and five others are in hospital after suspected drug overdoses as a regional Victorian music festival enters its final day.
Revellers at the Rainbow Serpent Festival in Lexton, near Ballarat, will start packing up and winding down on Monday after four days of the event.
In the 24 hours to 7.30am on Monday, Victoria Police caught 13 people with drugs, and issued drug diversions or cannabis cautions.
Three men were arrested for a range of offences including drug trafficking and possessing proceeds of crime during the same period.
