‘Zombie drug’ flakka fears at Gold Coast’s GC600 motor race

IT TURNS everyday people into “zombies”, and police have been briefed on how to handle a possible outbreak at this weekend’s GC600 motor race.

Queensland Ambulance Service regional operations supervisor Stephen Burns is concerned of the possibility of flakka abuse on the Glitter Strip. Pic: Glenn Hampson

• Another eight hit by ‘zombie’ drug
• Eight rushed to hospital in mass overdose

ALL police rostered to work at this weekend’s GC600 will be briefed on how to respond to users of the “zombie” drug flakka.

Major Events Gold Coast inspector Des Hearn, who is in charge of safety at the event, confirmed yesterday the more than 300 officers working across the three-day festival would be instructed on Flakka.

It follows the overdose at the weekend of 16 people, on what is understood to be flakka, a mystery designer drug which is a massive issue in the US and is often referred to as a “zombie drug” due to the side-effects it has on users, including wild hallucinations and aggressive behaviour.

Inspector Hearn said after hearing about the mass outbreak of overdoses at the weekend, he would have an intelligence squad research the drug so he could brief officers on duty at the GC600 this weekend on what to do in the event of a zombie drug breakout.

It’s expected about 200,000 revellers will attend the event.

“Certainly I’ll be getting our intelligence section to research the symptoms and signs and include this in our briefings for GC600, 100 per cent,” inspector Hearn said.

“This will include educating officers on how to deal with people who are showing signs of being on this zombie drug.

“We’ll tell them what they need to do in the event that people are overdosing and will be prepared if it becomes an issue.”

More than 160 extra officers based outside the Gold Coast region will be assisting with security at the event, as well as the dog squad, the prostitution squad and polair, among others.

Aside from GC600, police and paramedics expressed concern about the drug circulating at Schoolies next month, which will see 25,000 school-leavers party non-stop for two weeks in Surfers Paradise.

A man was seized by police running into oncoming traffic in Surfers Paradise in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Another patient was caught having seizures in Melbas, while police and paramedics were also forced to tackle other users due to their erratic behaviour.

It could not be confirmed that the 16 people, who were all hospitalised in serious conditions, had used the drug flakka, with toxicology tests still determining the causes, however those under the influence all showed similar symptoms of ‘wild hallucinations’.

“We are concerned, we have the V8s coming up and people will be here with their families so we want to get the message out there about the risks of these dangerous drugs,” senior operations supervisor of the QAS Stephen Burns said.

“Also with Schoolies coming up, young people are coming down here and we want their families to know they’re safe.

“These drugs that young people took are downright dangerous.

“In the last 24 hours it was the largest cohort of similar drug overdose incidents I’ve seen in my 24 years working on the Gold Coast.”

Superintendent Gold Coast District Michelle Stenner said police would be on watch at Schoolies.

“These are dangerous drugs,” she said.

“This is young people taking substances that they don’t know what they are.

“We are always concerned about Schoolies and dangerous drugs.”

Investigators were at the scenes at the weekend, engaging with persons affected and witnesses while waiting on toxicology reports.

A Schoolies spokesman released a short statement saying “organisers are committed to the safety of young people and encourage school leavers during their celebrations to be responsible, be safe and watch your mates.”