Police reveal RockNess drug haul as festival enters day two
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HIGHLAND police have carried out 65 positive drug searches and arrested one person for alleged dealing offences just 24 hours into the RockNess festival.
Despite expressing "disappointment" at the number of people caught with drugs, the officer in charge of policing the event declared himself "happy" with the general behaviour of revellers.
The three-day event, which comes to a close on Sunday, is being held on the banks of Loch Ness at Dores, a few miles outside Inverness.
The first day of the event, which is featuring a wide variety of music from the likes of The View, Ed Sheerin and Biffy Clyro, was overshadowed by a linked road tragedy on the A9.
Two men travelling in a van which was in collision with a bus of revellers making their way to site from Edinburgh on Friday afternoon died at Ralia. The smash, which saw several bus passengers taken to hospital for treatment and the driver airlifted for treatment to serious injuries, has reignited a campaign to see the main route north dualled.
Meanwhile the first police statement following the start of the event said festival-goers had in general been well behaved so far.
Day one of the festival passed without any serious incidents or disorder.
Superintendent Stevie Mackay however said police carried out 65 positive drugs searches and one person was arrested for alleged drug dealing offences.
He said: "We are now well into day two of the festival and the story from overnight is a very positive one. Revellers seem to be in high spirits and we have seen no incidents of serious disorder.
"Whilst it is disappointing to have had 65 positive drugs searches, that figure is relatively low considering the number of people attending the event."
He added: "We are very pleased that the general mood of the crowd has been very positive and hopefully that will continue for the rest of the event."
