RAVE PARTY CRACKDOWN WELCOMED

A POLICE plan for a national crackdown on rave and dance parties has been
welcomed by community groups.

Rave organisers and party-goers said yesterday they supported a clean-up of
the industry, which is rife with deadly designer drugs.

Sources said yesterday up to 85 per cent of young people who attended rave
parties indulged in drugs such as ecstasy and speed.

The action plan, revealed by the Herald Sun, would see undercover and
uniformed police swoop on the popular parties and arrest suspected drug
dealers.

Rave-party organisers may also have to install metal detectors to check for
weapons and laughing-gas "bulbs".

Safety measures ensuring that party-goers had access to adequate water to
prevent dehydration and that qualified first-aid workers were on hand could
also be introduced.

The proposal has been backed by Australia's police ministers, who met in
Sydney on Thursday to examine ways to stop the spread of designer drugs.

Victorian Police Minister Bill McGrath said the recent deaths of young
people from drugs such as ecstasy, fantasy and ice had put all states on
alert.

"We don't want our young people dying," Mr McGrath said.

Rave party organiser Angelo Xaros, of Hardware Productions, said he
supported the proposed health safety measures but was concerned about a
police presence.

He said his company already searched party-goers, had "chill out" areas,
provided entertainment apart from dancing and had first-aid officers on
duty.

Rave Safe spokesman Michael Arnold supported the proposal but said he was
worried the blitz could drive the designer drug scene further underground.

He said rave parties provided a "safe and positive environment" where young
people could take drugs such as ecstasy, LSD and cannabis.

Designer drugs first came to prominence in Australia with the death of New
South Wales schoolgirl Anna Wood in 1995.

Anna, 15, overdosed on ecstasy at a rave party.

Checked-by: Don Beck