Members Of 'Education' Group Busted On Trafficking Charges At Northlands Rave

Drug charges laid against Edmonton's RaveSafe president sink the credibility of the all-night-dance party watchdog, says a local raver.

Edmonton RaveSafe president Nigel Lawrence Fish, 20, and Thomas Noah Carchrae, 26, an Edmonton RaveSafe member, were arrested in the Northlands Sportex parking lot before Sunday's Carnival event, said police.

Both men are facing charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a narcotic and possession of the proceeds of crime.

Cops seized about three grams of marijuana, 12 tablets of ecstasy, 41 unidentified capsules, and a quantity of cash after spotting a group of people acting "suspiciously" inside a parked car.

RaveSafe is an international organization that claims to educate ravers about the risks of dance party drug use.

"It's sheer stupidity that shocks everybody in the community.  It is ironic and I don't know how much credibility they'll have now," said Dragan Gargic, 30, whose been raving since he was a teen.

Gargic was one of about 3,000 ravers thumping on the dance floor from Sunday to Monday morning

The RaveSafe group was yesterday huddling to consider their response to the charges.  "It's caused a bit of an uproar," said spokesman Mike Peebles.

Despite the arrests, cops, Northlands and The Nexus Tribe Inc.  promoter consider Carnival a sweeping success.

"It doesn't really concern us," said Northlands spokesman Cheryl Herchen. "We're in the facility rental business and it was a very well run event.  It doesn't matter whether it's a concert or a rave, these things happen when individuals choose to abuse substances."

Shannon Routley, Nexus Tribe spokesman, said RaveSafe members will "not be allowed to attend our events ever again."

A Toronto DJ slated to play Carnival, 25-year-old Michael Babb, was also charged with possession of a narcotic after one tablet of ecstasy was found during a pre-admission search.  Another 15 people were charged with drug and criminal offences at the all-night event.

"A lot of people got busted at the door.  It's really weird because they knew there was going be police there but we're not dealing with very mature, intelligent people in that regard," said Gargic.

Routley said the arrest of "bad apples" sends a clear message.  "It's zero tolerance, whether you're a DJ or a promoter, you have to be responsible."

Cops are also heralding Carnival a success.

"We're not out to shut down raves.  We're out to stop kids from poisoning themselves with ecstasy," said Edmonton Police Service spokesman Wes Bellmore.

Northlands imposed an 18-year-old age limit, a maximum occupancy number, tighter search procedures, independent security, and a policy on backpacks and medication inside the venue after last month's troubled Ascension rave.

At least a half-dozen dancers collapsed on the floor after using the street drug ecstasy during Ascension, said police

The city is still considering a bylaw to regulate raves.
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