DRUG SNIFFER DOGS HAVE A BIG DAY OUT AT GOLD COAST

DRUG sniffer dogs have been unleashed at the Big Day Out on the Gold
Coast for the first time, and police have made scores of arrests.

Sniffer dogs have been used by Queensland police since 2006 but had
not been deployed before at the huge touring music festival, which
hit Parklands Showgrounds today.

But police upped the ante against drug users after making about 30
arrests at the recent Summerfieldayze festival on the Gold Coast.

Dog handlers made regular sweeps of entry points into the Big Day Out
throughout the day and dozens of patrons were arrested, mainly for
possession of ecstasy pills and cannabis.

Police also arrested several suspected drug dealers carrying larger
quantities of pills.

Undercover police also worked the 50,000-strong crowd, making arrests
for drug, alcohol and street offences.

But organisers say the big crowd has been largely well-behaved and
relatively mild weather has helped patrons keep their cool.

The Big Day Out continues into the night with headline acts including
the Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy and old rocker Neil Young.