POLICE GET TOUGH ON RAVE DRUGS

Police denied that a series of arrests at a major Homebush Bay dance party
over the weekend was part of a co-ordinated pre-Olympics drugs crackdown.

Twelve people were arrested in a "special operation" by Flemington police
at the Utopia dance party, attended by about 6,500 people at the Superdome
on Saturday night. Nine were charged with possession of a prohibited
substance (believed to be ecstasy), another with supplying illegal
substances and two with possession of a knife.

Police said weeks of planning went into Operation Utopia 3, involving 15
police. Sergeant Thomas Kirk, of Flemington police, said "anything that's
held at the Olympics site we're aware of", but said he did not know whether
the operation was Olympics-associated.

Sydney Superdome general manager, Mr Bob Evans, said security had worked
closely with police on Saturday night, inspecting all dance party
attendants upon entry.

Mr Paul Dillon, of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, said
partygoers should be warned that Sydney police were getting tougher in the
lead-up to the Olympics.