By MELISSA MARTIN for WCNC.com
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers and Alcohol Law Enforcement agents went undercover outside the Widespread Panic concert Friday, looking for underage drinking and drugs. Dozens of people never even made it inside, instead they spent the night in jail.
As people tailgated before the Widespread Panic concert at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, undercover officers wandered through the crowd.
“We're looking for any illegal drugs, any dangerous drugs,” said ALE agent Omar Qureshi.
ALE agents work numerous concerts, but Friday night they were expecting a lot of drug use.
“Maybe it's a crowd that follows them, or a type of reputation that comes with this crowd or group,” said Qureshi.
Officers say they found plenty of illegal drug use. One officer confiscated 25 pounds of mushrooms hidden in chocolate bars. They also found ecstasy, marijuana, pipes, Xanax, mushrooms, even LSD concealed in the middle of a sweetart.
Officers arrested at least 80 people on drug charges, and others for underage drinking.
“Tonight the big difference was the dangerous drugs that were there,” said Qureshi.
A lot of dangerous drugs that are now off the streets.
“Hopefully it's a safer place tonight because of that,” said Qureshi.
Officers say the crowd that in the past has been volatile, but Friday night no one was hurt. That’s the idea, getting the drugs and alcohol out of the mix before the concert begins prevents fights, assaults, and people home driving under the influence.
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