Pubdate: Sun, 18 Jan 2009
Source: Sunday Mail (Australia)
Copyright: 2009 Queensland Newspapers
Contact: http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/editorial/letter
Website: http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sundaymail
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/435
Author: Greg Stolz
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?237 (Drug Dogs)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

DRUG SNIFFER DOGS HAVE A BIG DAY OUT AT GOLD COAST

DRUG sniffer dogs have been unleashed at the Big Day Out on the Gold 
Coast for the first time, and police have made scores of arrests.

Sniffer dogs have been used by Queensland police since 2006 but had 
not been deployed before at the huge touring music festival, which 
hit Parklands Showgrounds today.

But police upped the ante against drug users after making about 30 
arrests at the recent Summerfieldayze festival on the Gold Coast.

Dog handlers made regular sweeps of entry points into the Big Day Out 
throughout the day and dozens of patrons were arrested, mainly for 
possession of ecstasy pills and cannabis.

Police also arrested several suspected drug dealers carrying larger 
quantities of pills.

Undercover police also worked the 50,000-strong crowd, making arrests 
for drug, alcohol and street offences.

But organisers say the big crowd has been largely well-behaved and 
relatively mild weather has helped patrons keep their cool.

The Big Day Out continues into the night with headline acts including 
the Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy and old rocker Neil Young. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake