An accused drug dealer remains behind bars after 20 people, including a teenager, overdosed on a suspected bad batch of ecstasy along a popular Melbourne party strip.
The 30-year-old CBD man faced an out of sessions court hearing on Sunday afternoon and was remanded to reappear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Police arrested the man at 4am on Sunday and he was charged with trafficking MDMA and possessing the proceeds of crime.
He was allegedly pointed out to staff at a club after a woman overdosed.
"A lady overdosed at a nightclub and one of her friends identified the male and he was subsequently arrested by police," Detective Senior Sergeant David Newman told reporters outside St Kilda police station on Sunday.
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"With the nature of drug dealing I would say there would be others involved."
Police believe the same batch of MDMA may have caused 20 overdoses around the Chapel Street entertainment precinct since Friday and they fear more cases could be identified over the coming days and weeks.
"A batch of drugs like this will take a long time to dissipate, or disappear from the scene," Det Sen Sgt Newman said.
A 17-year-old boy remains in a serious condition in the Alfred Hospital and police are investigating the death of a 30-year-old Elwood man who died of an overdose on Friday night.
It's too early to say if the cases are linked and police say they are waiting on drug testing and toxicology reports to see if the same drug is responsible.
