Police are trying to find out who threw drugs over the fence of a Melbourne youth detention centre after two detainees were hospitalised.
Victoria Police on Wednesday confirmed they were investigating the incident, which happened on Tuesday and prompted concern about the apparent security breach.
“It is believed unknown offenders threw recreational drugs over the fence of a correctional facility on Park Street,” a police spokeswoman said.
“The exact circumstances around the incident are yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing.”
The Department of Justice and Community Safety confirmed two young people from the justice centre were on Tuesday taken to hospital for medical assessment.
Paramedics were called about 1.45pm, with both young people believed to be in a stable condition, Ambulance Victoria said.
“By last night they had both returned to the centre,” a spokeswoman for the department said.
“The safety and wellbeing of young people and staff in youth justice is of the utmost importance.”
The Community and Public Sector Union, which represents corrections officers, was concerned about the drug drop representing a major security breach, a spokesman said.
Youth justice facilities were majorly understaffed with not enough workers to keep an eye on detainees at all times, the spokesman said.
“The government is starving this program of money and as a result, two kids have been hospitalised,” he said.
It is understood that in a separate incident on Tuesday at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre, about 100 kilometres north of Melbourne, four detainees also ingested wild mushrooms.
Paramedics attended the centre and assessed the young people.
“Two young people went to hospital via ambulance as a precautionary move and have since returned to the centre,” the department spokeswoman said.
The four young people were safe and in a stable condition, the spokeswoman said.