‘People are dying’: Judge slams two friends after they were caught with MDMA capsules
Two friends allegedly caught supplying drugs inside a hardstyle music festival will remain behind bars after a magistrate warned media coverage of people fatally overdosing at raves should have acted as a disincentive.
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Two friends allegedly caught supplying drugs inside a music festival will remain behind bars after a magistrate warned media coverage of people fatally overdosing at raves should have acted as a disincentive.
Anthony Fryer, 30, and Jasmin Picciolo, 26, were arrested at the Midnight Mafia festival at Sydney Showground on Saturday night after allegedly being found with 26 MDMA capsules and more than $4000 in cash.
Police allege a subsequent search of a car parked outside the event uncovered another 50 capsules.
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Fryer was charged with three counts of supplying a prohibited drug and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime, while Picciolo was charged with two counts of supplying a prohibited drug and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime.
In court on Sunday, defence lawyer Ahmed Dib pushed for Fryer to be released on bail, saying other people caught with a greater amount of drugs at NSW music festivals had avoided jail time.
However, a magistrate said “all the media coverage of people dying” at NSW music festivals over the past 12 months should have acted as a disincentive and refused to grant Fryer bail.
Picciolo did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.
“The issue surrounding music and dance festivals and the problems that those festivals attract in particular with illicit drugs — this is a classic example of one of those instances,” police prosecutor Stuart Osten told the court.
Another man, 38-year-old Yap Mun, was charged with knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime after he was allegedly found with $41,000 cash.
Another two men were charged with drug supply, 32 people were charged with drug possession and eight were issued drug criminal infringement notices
More than 160 festival-goers sought medical treatment at the event with paramedics taking nine people to hospital, six of those for drug-related issues.
Fryer and Picciolo will return to Burwood Local Court on Wednesday.
Originally published as ‘People are dying’: Judge slams two friends after they were caught with MDMA capsules
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