Pubdate: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO) Copyright: 2001 St. Louis Post-Dispatch Contact: http://home.post-dispatch.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/418 Author: Peter Shinkle, Florence Shinkle Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raves.htm (Raves) AUTHORITIES SHUT DOWN RAVE OUTSIDE POTOSI The second night of a marathon rave outside Potosi, Mo., got abruptly canceled Saturday night by the Washington County Sheriff's Office, and 150 partygoers were detained for more than two hours as authorities searched for drugs. An undercover investigation of the first night of the party, which drew 800 to 1,000 young people, turned up "kids using every kind of drug you can imagine," said Washington County Sheriff Gary Yount. The results of the investigation prompted law enforcement officials to get a warrant and return the second night to block the festivities and search for drugs. The party was scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Yount said members of his department, the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Potosi police department "got there early, around 8 or 8:30 p.m., so there weren't that many of them there yet. We detained them all, but we only arrested four -- three on misdemeanor drug charges and one girl from Ballwin on a warrant for a traffic violation." The average age of the partygoers was 18 to 20, Yount said, and they came from "just all over, just everywhere." Arthur Cook, who is director of the St. Louis chapter of a group called Dancesafe, charged that police searched people against their will. The event was billed as a benefit for Dancesafe on a local rave Web site, with tickets costing $17. The event was hosted by Divine Productions, Cook said. Dancesafe works to protect the health of young people who attend raves, Cook said. The parties, which are marked by long hours of dancing to loud, electronic music, often include use of illegal drugs like Ecstasy. "We try to educate people on drug information, safe sex and hearing loss," he said. "We try to make it so they can make informed decisions. These kids have already chosen to do this drug, so we aren't telling them to do this drug," he said. "We're trying to reduce the harm kids are doing to themselves." Dancesafe also sells drug-testing kits to help young people make sure their Ecstasy is not contaminated with dangerous chemicals, including one known as PMA, that can be lethal, Cook said. "We sell the kits to people at the cost of $20, and they can come up to our booth at events and get their drugs tested there. That's because it's at these events that kids are doing themselves harm," he said. The event was set to take place from 10 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday on property off Highway 8 near Potosi, Cook said. He said authorities at the site claimed to have a search warrant, but they did not show it when he asked to see it. He said the sheriff's deputies, some of whom refused to identify themselves, held the young people in difficult circumstances. "They wouldn't let anybody get up and use the bathroom," he said. "They wouldn't let anybody leave." He said, "The police assume that because these are young kids they don't know all the rights they have." Sheriff Yount said the search for contraband was handled properly. He said law officers found marijuana and some unidentified pills that will be tested. Cook said that by midnight, people were allowed to leave, but it was clear the rave was not going to happen. - --- MAP posted-by: GD