POLICE NAB 30 IN FESTIVAL RAID

MORE than 30 people will face court or counselling after they were
arrested in a police crackdown at Melbournes Summadayze rock music
festival.

Five of the 31 people arrested yesterday at the Sidney Myer Music
Bowl have been charged with possessing drugs, while two men will face
court at a later date after they were charged with possession and
drug trafficking.

Police said the 24 others arrested were first-time offenders and had
either a small amount of drugs in their possession or had taken drugs
and would have to undergo drug counselling programs.

All of the arrests were made outside the venue and police said that a
majority of the 23,000 patrons were well behaved.

Supt Mick Williams said he was concerned that one of the two men
charged with trafficking and possession allegedly had a stash of
drugs on him.

"He had five or six different drugs there ... every one of those
drugs very, very harmful," Supt Williams said.

"There was ecstasy, cocaine, amphetamine, ice and GHB."

About 30 officers and four sniffer dogs patrolled the
venue.

But Supt Williams said that police might never stamp out the drug
problem at dance and rave parties where there were always people
using drugs.