Police from the State Highway Patrol have nabbed 18 alleged drug drivers as part of Operation Furlong in Tallarook yesterday.
Drivers were tested in the vicinity of the Chi Wow Wah Town music festival on Pyalong-Tallarook road between 12pm and 4pm.
In a four hour period eight men and 10 woman, aged between 18 and 59, were detected with an alleged prescribed illicit drug in their oral fluid test, equating to at a strike rate of, 1:4 persons tested recorded a positive result.
Drivers who do not have any prior convictions for impaired driving each received an infringement notice for $496 and their driver licence will be suspended for six months.
Those drivers with prior offences will be summonsed to appear at court at a later date and their vehicles will be impounded for one month.
Superintendent John Fitzpatrick said, “police were extremely disappointed with the behaviour of the participants driving home after the event”.
