Police shut down the Azure V dance party at the Royal Botanical Gardens two hours earlier than it was supposed to end on Sunday night following the arrest of 26 people for drug-related offences.
Police say 40 charges were laid relating to "the possession or supply of mainly MDMA, as well as cocaine, ketamine, speed, GBH and cannabis." Of the 26 arrested, nine were allegedly detected with a trafficable amount of illicit drugs.
Organisers expect the event, which is being held a week before the big Mardi Gras weekend, to be attended by 5000 people including some of "Sydney's [and the world's] most buffed and beautiful."
According to a police statement, a warrant was sought and granted by a magistrate to close the party early as "police held concerns for patrons" due to the "number of drug detections."
The Age newspaper quoted an unnamed officer involved in the arrests as saying: "We take drug dogs down there annually. It was not a specially planned operation to uproot the Mardi Gras or upset the gays. It was just the blatant quantity of drugs [we found]."
The drug swoop is expected to cast a shadow over the month-long event as it culminates in a spectacular street parade along Oxford Road on March 3 followed by a 12-hour long party, which organisers hope to draw "16,000 local and international party people."
People have expressed concern that the police will take similar action during the party and that partygoers will be hesitant to attend.
For more info on safe partying, sexual health, drugs, treatment, street safety, depression and same-sex domestic violence, visit the AIDS Council of New South Wales (ACON).