One dead, 12 hospitalised after dance festival
One man died from a suspected drug overdose and 12 people required hospital treatment following a dance music festival in Australia.
Police conducted a high-visibility police operation at Transmission Music Festival, which was held at Sydney Showground on Saturday (11 February). The 18,000-cap event was headlined by Armin van Buuren and featured acts such as AVAO, Jeffrey Sutorius, Will Atkinson and Xijaro & Pitch.
Officers were called to Bankstown Hospital at about 3am yesterday to investigate the circumstances of the death of a 26-year-old man. Police were told the man – who had earlier attended the festival – presented at the hospital just before 1.30am for a suspected drug overdose.
More than 130 people were treated by medical professionals at the venue, with numerous complaints suspected to relate to drug use and heat exhaustion, with at least 12 people transported to hospitals for further treatment relating to drug use, with seven of those patients requiring intubation.
Six men have been charged with drug supply offences and an investigation is underway
Six men have been charged with drug supply offences and an investigation is underway.
NSW Police say the event was determined a high-risk event under the Music Festivals Act 2019, and as such, police were assisted by security officers, NSW Ambulance paramedics and medical professionals to provide a safe and secure environment.
During the operation, police arrested six men – aged between 19 and 33 – who were detected in possession of MDMA. A 23-year-old man was charged with supplying a prohibited drug after he was allegedly found in possession of 253 MDMA tablets, while a 21-year-old man was charged with supplying a prohibited drug and possessing a prohibited drug after he was allegedly found in possession of 149 MDMA tablets.
The other four men were issued court attendance notices for supply prohibited drug and are due to appear at court at a later date.
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