A local man is facing drug trafficking charges, after he was one of two men searched and arrested at Beyond the Valley just outside Geelong.
The 27-year-old Rippleside man was allegedly found with 27 grams of cocaine and 15 grams of ketamine when police searched him at the music festival in Barunah Plains around 5.25pm Monday.
Police also say they seized 17 MDMA pills, four grams of cocaine, and seven other pills believed to be drugs of dependence from a 28-year-old South Yarra man a few hours earlier.
Both men have been slapped with drug trafficking charges and will each face the Geelong Magistrates’ Court in March.
It comes as the local festival is the first in Victoria to offer on-site pill testing, although police say the two men were not arrested at those sites.
“Under the new legislation, it is not a criminal offence to possess small amounts of illicit drugs if you are attending a drug-checking place as a client,” Senior Constable Darcie Sword said.
“As a result, officers will not be attending these sites unless responding to incidents requiring police attendance.
“Police will continue to enforce against drug offences away from the drug-checking place and seize any illicit substances.
“As always, police may use discretion to not enforce possession offences.”
“Victoria Police has zero tolerance for drug traffickers and officers will have no hesitation arresting and charging someone for this offence, no matter where it occurs.”
