Shropshire Star

Appeal to help stop illegal raves

Police are urging people in mid Wales to help them prevent illegal raves from setting up in their communities.

Published

As part of the operation, #OpFlamenco, people living in rural communities, including farmers and landowners, are being asked to report anything suspicious to Dyfed-Powys Police.

Officers say they want to respond swiftly as illegal raves arise and hopefully prevent them from happening or at the very least allow police to respond before they become established.

Superintendent Jon Cummins, Head of Specialist Operations for Dyfed-Powys Police, said: "Raves can cause anxiety to the community they are held in, and if not dealt with swiftly are difficult to stop due to the sheer numbers of people involved.

“These illegal gatherings also cause real concerns for emergency services as people attending take risks they wouldn’t usually. We deal with issues like drink, drug and drowsy driving – which all increase the risk of a crash – and people taking illegal substances and drinking to excess. There is rarely any medical cover, leaving people at risk of serious illness when things go wrong.

“There is also a safety concern involved for the officers that come in to break up events. As a force, we take action as soon as we gather intelligence of an event being planned. We will continue to respond swiftly to reports of illegal gatherings, and where appropriate will prosecute those responsible in order to protect our communities.

“However, these types of illegal events are carefully co-ordinated to avoid police attention, and organisers will always try to find new ways to avoid being found out.

“We rely on the support of communities to report any suspicious activity immediately, so action can be taken to disrupt illegal gatherings swiftly.

“I would encourage farmers, landowners and local communities to report anything they feel is suspicious or out of the ordinary by calling 101 or emailing contactcentre@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk.”

Over the past two years, Natural Resources Wales has spent over £10,000 of public money clearing up the mess left behind from illegal raves. This has included litter, abandoned vehicles, drug paraphernalia and human waste.