Police have launched an investigation into suspected drug possession following a series of medical incidents during DJ Balázs Sebestyén’s show (DJ OTI), Telex reported on Monday, citing the Budapest Police Headquarters. Several women fell ill during Saturday’s concert, amid media reports that GHB – known in Hungary as “gina” – may have been slipped into their drinks. When combined with alcohol, the drug can cause paralysis of the central nervous system.
Young women collapsed one after another at Budapest concert
In response to questions from the newspaper, Budapest police said investigators had already interviewed several witnesses and were seeking to establish the full circumstances of what happened. One young man posted on Sunday that his sister may have been drugged without her knowledge during the party. Shortly afterwards, a 39-year-old woman described in a video how she had collapsed almost immediately after drinking from her glass, MTI wrote.
The organisers of the Sziget Festival also responded to the reports on Sunday evening. They said that the DJ OTI production was not part of the programme of the Sziget Festival. They added that they were “deeply outraged” by the accounts circulating on social media and urged anyone affected by a similar incident to contact the police. The organisers added that they would assist the investigation.
They also said their catering outlets had worked for years with the same tried-and-tested, reliable subcontractors, who served festival-goers safely and to a high standard.
Treated as drug users in the detox unit
In his post, the participant of DJ OTI’s concert said that while he was waiting at the on-site detox unit, at least 18 young people were taken there in connection with similar incidents. He condemned the way both his sister and he were treated, saying they had been made to feel as though they were responsible for what had happened.
Hungary’s National Ambulance Service responded to criticism on social media by saying it took seriously concerns about both patient care and communication, and would therefore review the circumstances surrounding its operation.
The service said that, alongside professional medical care, it was essential for its staff to treat every patient and relative appropriately and with empathy. “We believe it is important to learn from such feedback, identify the causes of any potential mistakes or shortcomings, and improve our procedures wherever necessary,” it said.
Ambulance arrived after two hours
We also reported on the case yesterday. Enikő, the 39-year-old woman mentioned above, said she had asked someone to bring her a drink from the VIP area because the queue was so long.
She then collapsed, something she said could not have been caused by alcohol. A young doctor and his wife tried to keep her conscious. Had her husband and the couple not been there, “anything could have happened” to her, she said. According to Enikő, the ambulance did not arrive for another two hours.
If you missed: Georgian tourist attempted to rape Hungarian teenager – but Chinese neighbours stepped in just in time
Several people on social media suspected that GHB may have been added to the women’s drinks, although this has not yet been confirmed. GHB is a synthetic drug, meaning it can only be produced in a laboratory. It is a colourless, odourless liquid and is known as a “rape drug” because of its association with sexual assault. It is often added to the drinks of young women, but its use carries serious risks: it can cause respiratory failure and, in the worst cases, death, Blikk reported.
The drug can be detected in the blood for only four to five hours and in urine for between eight and 12 hours. Specialised, expensive toxicology tests can, however, detect it in hair months later.
If there is even a suspicion that someone has been given GHB, an ambulance should be called immediately and the person taken to a safe place and placed in the recovery position.
Sziget 2026: Festival reveals price of budget meals as huge food line-up awaits
