Police have praised the behaviour of revelers at Saturday’s massive Groovin’ The Moo festival, despite drug detection operations netting 40 offenders on the day.
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Acting Inspector Kristin Marshall of the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District said a whopping 21,000 partygoers packed into the Maitland Showground for the annual music show.
Acting Inspector Marshall said that the crowd was “generally well behaved”. She said one of the main issues police faced on the day was patrons jumping fences around the showground perimeter to gain access to the festival.
A drug detection operation, aided by police dogs, was commenced at 10.30am, with 40 offenders nabbed. Police also conducted numerous searches of people at the festival entry gates.
Acting Inspector Marshall said revelers detected in the drug dog operation were issued cautions or given court attendance notices.
A spokesperson from NSW Ambulance confirmed that four revelers were treated for intoxication.
In an unrelated incident, a 21-year-old man from Lake Macquarie was arrested and charged with assaulting police and security guards. He’ll face Maitland Local Court on May 23.
Acting Inspector Marshall said the lack of incidents was “quite good” given the huge amount of attendees at what is widely regarded as a “coming of age” event for Hunter youth.
The festival moved on to Canberra on Sunday, where, in a historic first, festival goers were able to have their illicit pills tested and given information about the substances the pill contains.
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