Mark Morri and Clementine Cuneo
February 13, 2023
Original Article: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/bank-worker-dead-and-12-hospitalised-after-suspected-festival-drug-overdoses/news-story/e3c79eec0c93edca72dc1ba1c6ae5810
A 26-year-old man died in hospital after attending the Transmission music festival on Saturday. He’s among more than 12 overdoses at the event determined high-risk under the Music Festivals Act.
A young bank employee has died and twelve others were hospitalised from suspected drug overdoses at a Sydney music festival on the weekend.
Kieran Ngo, 26, died in Bankstown Hospital early on Sunday morning just hours after he took himself there saying he felt unwell after attending the Transmission music festival at the Sydney Showground on Saturday.
Police and the NSW Coroner are investigating if Mr Ngo’s death was linked to the seizure of more than 400 MDMA tablets which were allegedly found on festival goers.
“About 3am on Sunday officers from Bankstown Police Area Command were called to Bankstown Hospital to investigate the circumstances of the death of a 26-year-old man,’’ police said in a statement released on Monday.
“Police were told the man presented at the hospital just before 1.30am for a suspected drug overdose – stating he started to feel unwell after attending the music festival,’’ police said.
Kieran Ngo, 26, and his girlfriend Monica Nguyen. Mr Ngo died hours after taking himself to Bankstown Hospital saying he felt unwell after attending Transmission Festival at the Sydney Showground on Saturday.
His condition quickly deteriorated, and he died at the hospital. A report is now being prepared for the coroner.
Mr Ngo worked as a senior lending associate at the Commonwealth Bank, after studying business at the University of Technology Sydney.
“I have over six years of experience in the financial services industry across multiple roles and business areas. Subject matter expert for retail banking and home buying for the Southwest and Bankstown Area,” Mr Ngo posted on his LinkedIn profile.
SEVEN INTUBATED
Of the 12 taken to hospital, seven were intubated, meaning they needed to have assistance to breathe.
Three are still believed to be in hospital, while all up 130 people had to receive medical attention for overdoses and heat exhaustion.
Six people were charged with supplying prohibited drugs after being detected by police sniffer dogs.
The event was determined a high-risk event under the Music Festivals Act and police were assisted by security officers, NSW Ambulance paramedics and medical professionals to provide a safe and secure environment for more than 18,000 people.
During the operation, police arrested six men – aged between 19 and 33 – who were detected in possession of MDMA.
A 23-year-old man from Oran Park was charged with supplying prohibited drugs after he was allegedly found in possession of 253 MDMA tablets.
A 21-year-old Fairfield West man was charged with supplying prohibited drugs and possessing prohibited drugs after he was allegedly found in possession of 149 MDMA tablets. He was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on February 16.
The other four men were issued Court Attendance Notices for supplying prohibited drugs and are due to appear at court at a later date.