MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office made 17 felony and 51 misdemeanor drug arrests of people traveling through the area on their way to Bonnaroo.
The annual Coffee County festival draws upwards of 80,000 attendants each year, many of whom drive through neighboring Rutherford County to the north.
"This festival invites a large amount of illicit narcotics inside our community," said Captain Jason Mathis from the sheriff's office's Special Enforcement Bureau.
Over $12,000 worth of illegal drugs was confiscated last week.
Arrests ranged from possession of illegal mushrooms, cocaine and marijuana.
Mathis said business owners and residents called to complain about festival-goers camping in parking lots and blocking businesses. Several witnesses said they observed the use and sale of drugs.
Rutherford county fficials said much of the illegal activity took place near the Walmart on Old Fort Parkway, Custom Care Kennel on Thompson Lane and at the Buchanan Road exit off Interstate 24.
"We had several complaints they were actually smoking marijuana in the parking lots," said Mathis.
Arrests included a father and son who allegedly sold cocaine in Rutherford County before continuing on to Bonnaroo. A mother and son were charged with possession of "high quality" marijuana.
Several DUI arrests were also made.
According to Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves, more than 300 people at the festival were issued citations for various charges and 45 people were arrested. Most of the arrests were for domestic violence and drug related charges.
