Tomorrowland festival-goers do not always know exactly what drugs they are taking the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office warns. The results of drug tests carried out during the first weekend of the dance music festival did not always match what users had told the police. “This could mean, amongst other things, that users do not fully know what they are buying, or that dealers are selling the wrong products,” it says.
Last weekend at Tomorrowland in Boom (Antwerp Province), 192 festival-goers were caught with drugs and the police arrested 13 dealers. “The figures are in line with those from the previous edition,” the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office says.
Anyone found in possession of drugs was offered an immediate out-of-court settlement, which raised a total of 48,150 euros. In addition, the 192 festival-goers caught immediately lost their wristbands that grant entry and were required to leave the festival.
International attraction
The 13 dealers arrested come from various countries: Australia, France, China (2), North Macedonia (3), the Netherlands, Japan, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. One person from North Macedonia was even arrested twice. They are due to appear in court on 25 November at a Tomorrowland-themed hearing.
Where the police were able to seize drugs, these were tested on the spot in the mobile laboratory of the National Institute for Forensic Science and Criminology (NICC). The NICC registered 471 samples and analysed 358 of them.
Of these samples, 81 per cent contained a controlled substance. The three most common drugs were: MDMA, cocaine and ketamine. On average, 15 per cent of users had more than one type of drug in their possession. Twenty reports of tablets containing high doses of MDMA and other potentially dangerous substances were forwarded to health institute Sciensano.
It is striking that the analysis did not always match what the user had told the police. “Among other things, this may mean that users do not fully know what they are buying, or that dealers are selling the wrong products. And we want to warn people about this,” says Kato Belmans of the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office.
34 thieves and 4 drones
Police focusing on thefts, identified 34 suspects. Six thieves were caught in the act and arrested for pickpocketing. They were mainly targeting luxury watches, handbags and wallets.
The police also arrested a man who still had a three-year prison sentence to serve. In addition, the police carried out 17 administrative arrests, including for public drunkenness and disturbing public order.
In addition, the police recorded 107 traffic offences. Seven vehicles were towed away and eight taxis were impounded because they were picking up customers outside the designated zones or did not meet the legal requirements. Above the festival site, the police also seized four unauthorised drones.