More than a hundred detained for drugs at Île Soniq music festival

Watch above: Nearly 70 people have been arrested at the Ile Soniq festival at Parc Jean Drapeau. However, police are still determining whether any sort of charges will be laid. As Billy Shields reports, the arrests have put so-called “rave drugs” in the spotlight.

MONTREAL – Both nights at the Île Soniq music festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau were a busy one for Montreal police.

A total of 112 people were detained over the two-day festival.

On Friday, more than 70 people were arrested, most of them for possession of illegal drugs.

At least eight people were treated for intoxication and two weapons were seized.

“Police officers are on the scene surrounding the event,” said Raphael Bergeron, a spokesperson for the Montreal police.

“We have up to 14 police officers assisting the security at the entrance.”

On day-two of the festival, 63 people were detained, five were minors.

Montreal police say they are taking extra precaution after party drugs like MDMA and Molly were linked to the recent deaths of two young adults in Toronto, as well as numerous over-consumptions at similar festivals across North America.

“They’re taken orally, they’re synthetic, they’re not controlled,” explained Jean-Sebastien Fallu, a spokesperson for GRIP.

“There can be many many different impurities there.”

Drug interventionists like Fallu say the dangers of narcotics are often unknown or misunderstood.

“The risks are you don’t know what you’re taking,” he said.

“It’s an unintended effect of prohibition. There’s no quality control of what’s on the market.”

Evenko, the event’s organizers, have also stepped up the number of medical personnel on the site and are performing bag checks at the entrance.

“People that have drugs or other items that are not allowed on site will have their access blocked,” said Bergeron.

The electronic and dance music festival wrapped up Saturday night.