A mobile testing lab at the Extrema Outdoor dance festival in Houthalen-Helchteren (Limburg) discovered 6 dangerous types of ecstasy pills. As a result festival organisers were obliged to issue a warning on social media.
Drug lab discovers 6 types of dangerous XTC pills at dance festival Extrema Outdoor
Colin Clapson
Published:
The ecstasy pills found could be life-threatening. "The danger lies in increased blood pressure and heart rates resulting in higher body temperature. In combination with dancing, being in a warm environment and consuming alcohol, this creates a risk," says Nele Samyn of the Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC).
At the test lab on the festival site, only relatively simple techniques are used, so the results are in quickly. MDMA, the active ingredient of ecstasy, for example, is detected.
During the festival itself, drugs are confiscated, examined and, if necessary, warnings are issued to festival-goers follow on LED screens or via social media channels.
Extrema Outdoor attracted 70,000 spectators last weekend. That is a record. It was also the first time there was a mobile drug lab at the festival.