10/07/2009

Dozen Arrests In Oxegen Crack Down

Twelve arrests have already been made along with a number of drug seizures at the Oxegen music festival in Punchestown.

Gardaí said the arrests were for public orders and drugs possession offences, as officers crack-down on revellers in the festival's fifth year in its current guise.

Music lovers began their journey to the County Kildare venue yesterday when camp sites opened and up to 80,000 people are expected to attend.

In a statement released today, gardaí estimated 30,000 people already on site. A further 35,000 are expected throughout the day.

A spokesman said up to 18,000 people travelled to Punchestown yesterday by bus, with the remainder by car.

A traffic managment plan put in place to deal with the thousands of concertgoers went "very well", a Garda spokesman said, and local gardaí have urged people attending the site today to follow the signs and directions of gardaí and stewards.

A free park and ride facility is in place at Goffs, Kill, Co Kildare, with shuttle buses transporting people to and from Punchestown Racecourse.

(DW/BMcC)

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