Police want new stop and search powers on ‘drug highways’

POLICE want powers to randomly stop and search vehicles for illicit substances in a crackdown on drug supplies to music festivals across Victoria.

POLICE want new powers to declare certain roads as “drug highways” so they can randomly stop and search vehicles for illicit substances.

The crackdown — which would mirror measures interstate — is aimed at stifling supply to drug-riddled festivals and “bush doofs” across regional Victoria.

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Cars bound for the events have been found loaded up with MDMA, ice, cocaine and other substances.

Drugs are also being moved by rail and boat. Swimmers have even carried them across the Murray River.

The proposed law would allow a police officer ranked inspector or above to declare an area a drug transit route if they suspected it was being used to transport illicit drugs.

Officers could then randomly ­direct drivers to stop, and search their vehicles using reasonable force if necessary, including detection dogs.

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Cars bound for the musical festival events have been found loaded up with MDMA, ice, cocaine and other substances.

Police could detain and search the driver and any passengers and seize any item connected with an offence.

“These laws could allow Victoria Police to better detect and disrupt the trafficking of illicit drugs on intrastate and interstate routes,’’ a force submission to a parliamentary drugs ­inquiry states.

“Music festivals have been identified by Victoria Police as a particular risk of being targeted by traffickers.

“These festivals are often held in remote locations only accessible by road and have a culture of widespread drug use.”

Victoria Police noted the Rainbow Serpent music festival was among events where drugs were driven in.

At that event in 2016, a male was found with 73.68g of MDMA, 63.68g of ketamine, 18.81g of methyl amphetamine, 22.56g of cocaine, 2.3g of cannabis and $8651 cash.

Another male at the same festival that year was found with 3.1g of ­cocaine, 4.6g of methyl amphetamine, 128 caplets of methyl amphetamine, two valium tablets, three dexamphetamine tablets and $2883.

So-called ‘bush doof’ music festivals have been blamed by police for drug use by some drivers.

The Strawberry Fields festival on the banks of the Murray in NSW has also been a target, with swimmers ­carrying illicit drugs across the river.

Drugs are regularly trafficked across Victoria’s borders. Several years ago police discovered a van — fitted with hidden compartments to conceal cash, firearms and drugs, mostly methyl amphetamine — had clocked up 7000km crossing from NSW to regional Victoria.

South Australia, WA and the Northern Territory all have drug transit laws. They do not apply in metropolitan areas.

A state government statement said: “The drug law reform report raises serious and complex issues, and we will carefully consider the report and its findings before responding in coming months.”

“This includes consideration of the role and powers of Victoria Police to prevent serious drug harm at events such as music festivals.”

Victoria Police spokeswoman Sophie Jennings said the force would await the government’s decision on the inquiry’s recommendations.

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