Police say 22 people face £10,000 fine after illegal rave in Banwen that attracted thousands of people
22 people could face fines of £10,000 after an illegal rave in a Welsh village that attracted thousands of people.
South Wales Police said around 3,000 people are believed to have attended the gathering at Banwen near the Brecon Beacons over the weekend.
Police made three arrests, two for driving while unfit through alcohol or drugs and one for a public order offence.
The rave, which started in the early hours of Sunday morning, was not completely dispersed until Monday evening.
Assistant Chief Constable Dave Thorne said: “We have taken really proactive action against those who organised this.
“We responded as soon as we became aware of the event and we have had a police presence on site day and night and I would like to reassure local communities we acted as robustly as we can and we will continue to do so.
“We will now review footage of the event and if we can identify more offenders we will look to prosecute.
“It is extremely disappointing and disrespectful to our communities that we have had to deal with an event like this, not only on a busy weekend for the emergency services, but also during the coronavirus pandemic where legislation has been put in place to keep everyone safe.
“Those gathering know that their actions are irresponsible and many travelled hundreds of miles to attend the event. We work tirelessly to uphold the law, but we cannot do this alone. Personal responsibility is crucial.”