Home and Away star faces drug charges

Home and Away actor Todd Lasance has been arrested and charged with drug possession, according to reports.

The 24-year-old was reportedly celebrating a Christmas party with co-stars in Sydney’s Kings Cross when a police sniffer dog allegedly detected the drug.

A bag of white powder was then located, police say.

Lasance was charged after allegedly being found with cocaine.

“The 24-year-old Collaroy man was allegedly caught during a drug detection dog operation at the Darlinghurst Road club, as part of ‘Operation Unite’, just after 11pm [Saturday],” a NSW police spokesperson said.

A Channel 7 spokesman told the Daily Telegraph the cast party was not “sanctioned” by the network and declined to comment further.

2009 has been a tumultuous year off screen for Home and Away stars, frequently appearing in headlines for all the wrong reasons.

In June, Jodi Gordon was reportedly found cowering in the bedroom of a bikie after an alleged drug binge at another Kings Cross nightclub. Actor Lincoln Lewis admitted to filming a private sex act last year on his mobile phone.

A year ago another party attended by Seven staff ended with Andrew O’Keefe also making national headlines, but he managed to ride it out when the public turned on a frenzied media response.

Only as recently as July the Silver Logie winner was singled out by media as “a wholesome change for Home and Away,” following controversial headlines. A former actor who appeared on the show accused the show of behind-the-scenes drug culture. Lasance was praised by the Herald Sun for the way he dealt with storylines, including working through the drama of Belle’s (Jessica Tovey) drug addiction and subsequent rehab.

Lasance is set to finish on the Seven soap next month to pursue a US career.

He will appear in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Monday 18th January.

Source: ninemsn, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun