73 arrests at first weekend of Tomorrowland
During the first of two weekends of the Tomorrowland dance music festival, 73 people were arrested for a variety of offences, the Antwerp public prosecutor’s office reports. Eleven suspected drug dealers will appear in court in October.
The suspected dealers come from Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain, Latvia, Spain, Serbia, Sweden, Ukraine and Mexico. The seized drugs were tested at the venue by the National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology.
In addition, 210 people were caught with a small quantity of drugs considered to be for personal use. They were offered an immediate settlement, totalling more than 50,000 euros, and were ejected from the festival.
Of the 73 arrests, 28 were judicial and 45 administrative. The latter category included public intoxication and nuisance. Eighteen people were caught trying to enter the festival without a ticket and 24 taxis were seized because the drivers were recruiting customers outside the designated zones or were unauthorised. Police also confiscated eight drones.
There were 42 reports of theft, mainly involving necklaces, watches and phones, with 15 suspects arrested.
Tomorrowland takes place every year in Boom in Antwerp province. Like the 2023 edition, this year’s festival has been held over two weekends. Last year’s event saw a total of 181 arrests.
#FlandersNewsService | The first day of the Tomorrowland electronic music festival, 19 July 2024 © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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