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Large police operation swoops on Gold Coast in search of deadly drug

Police swarmed the streets of Surfers Paradise in a major operation aimed at cracking down on drugs.

But despite the heavy numbers of police, they came up empty handed.

The action followed fears there could have been another mass overdose during at one of the Gold Coast's biggest parties of the year, the Gold Coast 600.

There were extra police patrols, but they did not find their target. Source: 7 News
There were extra police patrols, but they did not find their target. Source: 7 News

Police warned they would be out in force on Saturday night.

The police K-9 unit was on the lookout for the potentially deadly cocktail of MDMA and Synthetic LSD.

Some punters felt their rights were being violated. Source: 7 News
Some punters felt their rights were being violated. Source: 7 News


The same drug is responsible for the death of 27-year-old Victorian Ricky Stephens and left 20 others severely ill.

Queensland Ambulance spokesman Justin Payne said so far the mass overdose has not been repeated.

The crackdown comes after the death of Victorian man Ricky Stephens.Source: 7 News
The crackdown comes after the death of Victorian man Ricky Stephens.Source: 7 News

"That seemed to be an isolated incident, relating to that weekend only, there's been no further incidents since," he told 7 News.

Dozens were searched in the operation, one man was arrested but no drugs were found.

The police were in force and using it. Source: 7 News
The police were in force and using it. Source: 7 News


Despite the cloud of deadly drugs hanging over Surfers Paradise, police said the number of arrests had halved since last year.

"By comparison to last year we've made half the number of enforcement action we required last year," Inspector Bruce Kuhn said.