MELBOURNE, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Victoria Police have begun a push to roll out a system warning party-goers of bad batches of recreational drugs in their area, it has been revealed on Monday.
The text messages, which would warn of overdoses and bad drugs being sold, would be sent to staff and patrons of nightclubs, bars and pubs in the areas of concern.
The idea was proposed by Victoria Police after a toxic batch of MDMA which was laced with synthetic drugs was sold into Melbourne's inner-south-east in January, causing the hospitalization of 20 people.
Weeks earlier, another 22 people overdosed on GHB at a music festival in the city with another 30 treated by paramedics at the scene.
The proposed overhaul would use an existing system that sends out messages to warn of bushfires.
The technology allows messages to be sent to mobile phones based on their last-known location.
Alternatively, messages are also sent based on a mobile phone's billing address if it is within the problem area.
Using social media as a warning system is another avenue being considered, with warnings for missing children in a certain area already being sent on the platform.
"Victoria Police has strong concerns about drug use and drug overdoses across the state, including any drug activity in the Stonnington and Port Phillip areas," Victoria Police spokesman Thomas O'Byrne told Australian media on Monday.
"Victoria Police remains engaged with a range of stakeholders to progress a collaborative approach to harm prevention from drugs and alcohol."
Additionally, legislation is being drafted that would grant Victoria Police the power to stop and search any patron at music festivals for illicit drugs without any reason.
