Tomorrowland and police to step up fight against drugs

Dance festival Tomorrowland and the Belgian police want to step up the fight against illegal and potentially dangerous drugs. Out-of-court settlements for users and summonses for dealers will continue, and confiscated drugs will be tested on the spot to check for dangerous substances and doses.

Two people died at the festival last year, one visitor and one staff member. The National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology will test confiscated drugs at Tomorrowland for the first time in 2024. If dangerous substances or amounts are found, visitors and staff will be alerted, for example through push notifications via an app.

"Not only can lives be saved this way, but we can also restore the reputation of this and other music festivals or nightclubs as positive and safe places," said Tomorrowland spokesperson Debby Wilmsen on Thursday.

Arrangements have also been made between the organisers and police to ensure that officers can work smoothly on the festival site and behind the scenes, to maximise the chances of catching drug users and dealers.

"Drugs are extremely harmful to health and potentially lethal," said Justice minister Paul Van Tigchelt. "It is the joint task of the judiciary, the police and the festival organisers to create a responsible and safe environment for every visitor."

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