Rainbow Serpent Festival cops a $50k bill to cover police costs

Police demand Rainbow Serpent Festival organisers clean up their act after 12 revellers were arrested for drug dealing and 54 were cautioned after being caught with drugs at the Victorian event in January.

Organisers of the trouble-plagued Rainbow Serpent Festival have been hit with a $50,000 bill from police.

The festival, held near Ballarat, consumed significant police resources — sparking calls for those behind it to cover the cost.

The Sunday Herald Sun can now reveal Victoria Police has served the organisers with the final bill for the four-day event, staged at Lexton in January.

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The Rainbow Serpent Festival was marred by widespread drug use, trafficking and seven suspected overdoses.

Emergency services attend to a man before he is loaded into an ambulance at the Rainbow Serpent Festival in January.

Police were pelted with objects during the drug-fuelled event, where 12 revellers were arrested for drug dealing and 54 were cautioned after being caught with drugs.

The festival is under pressure to clean up its act.

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton has warned organisers the future of the event relies on them clamping down on rampant drug offending.

He also revealed police and paramedics were pushing for stronger powers to issue and cancel permits for such events.

Organiser Tim Harvey declined to answer questions from the Sunday Herald Sun.

Both police and the state government have rejected pill testing at music festivals.