Australian border authorities confiscated nearly 900 kilos of ketamine last year, setting a new national record for seizures of the psychedelic drug. The spike in seizures of ketamine is concerning to Australian officials, who worry that organized crime groups are now focusing on illicit sales of the powerful drug.

The 882 kilograms of ketamine seized last year is more than double the 415 kilos seized in 2022, according to a report from 9 News. Officials say that the majority of the ketamine seized by the Australian Border Force (ABF) was imported into the country by sea. 

Testing of wastewater in Australia has revealed a new high for levels of ketamine, confirming that the psychedelic drug has become increasingly popular with the nation’s residents. Ketamine use reached a record high in April 2023, according to the latest ACIC National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program report.

Authorities discovered 84 kilos of ketamine hidden inside the panels of two brand-new delivery vans on a ship bound for Sydney last summer. After receiving a tip about the illicit shipment, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) boarded the ship in Melbourne to inspect the cargo. Officials found a total of 79 bags of ketamine hidden in the vans. After seizing the illegal shipment, they replaced the bags with dummy packets before the vessel continued its route to Sydney. Police then apprehended the recipients of the dummy bags outside Sydney and arrested three men who were charged with importing a commercial quantity of controlled drugs.

“These criminal groups may think they’re being clever in the way they try to bring in these harmful substances, but they should know that the ABF is ready to respond,” ABF Assistant Commissioner James Watson said in a statement to Australian media.

Largest Ketamine Bust Ever Made Last Year

AFP agents made the largest ketamine bust in Australian history in July 2023 when they found 80 kilos of the drug in an ocean-going cement shipment from Spain. The bust was made after a tip from Spanish authorities and led to the discovery of 80 kilos of ketamine that had been buried at a residence. Another 14 kilos of the drug was found at a nearby storage facility and three men were arrested and face charges in the record bust.

The largest amounts of ketamine were confiscated from ocean-going shipments of the drug. Additionally, officials seized smaller quantities of the drug from travelers to the country. According to media reports, ABF agents routinely find smaller amounts of ketamine in passenger luggage and arrest travelers suspected of importing the drugs.

In October 2023, a Taiwanese national was arrested at Brisbane International Airport after border officials discovered 250 grams of ketamine in his luggage. Last week, an 18-year-old UK national was arrested when he arrived in Sydney and border officials discovered 20 kilos of ketamine in his luggage. The man was charged with importing commercial quantities of a controlled drug and has been denied bail in the case.

Although ketamine busts in Australia rose to record levels last year, officials note that seizures of the psychedelic are much lower than other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine, according to AFP intelligence. As ketamine busts increase, officials are warning Australians about the risks associated with taking the drug.

“Ketamine is a dangerous and illicit sedative. Its dissociative effects block sensory brain signals and can cause memory loss, feelings of being detached from one’s body and prevent their ability to perceive danger,” AFP Detective-Superintendent Anthony Hall said in a statement cited by The Maritime Executive. “Unfortunately, in Australia, an average of 40 people are admitted to hospitals every week as a result of experiencing the harm caused by drug use.”

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The annual 420 Rally & Community Picnic at Flagstaff Gardens in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ended in disaster on April 20, when law enforcement sabotaged the event and hauled peaceful patients off while ignoring the medical cannabis law.

The Australian parliament amended the Narcotics Drug Act in 2016 to allow medical cannabis. In Victoria, doctors and nurse practitioners can prescribe medical cannabis, but certain products need approval from the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

The 420 events there today are a mix of celebration and a call to action. Jason, aka “Ancient Jay” organizes the 420 Rally & Community Picnic each year. Ancient Jay says this didn’t deter police from arresting people smoking peacefully at the rally.

“A pre-planned assault on some of Victoria’s most vulnerable members of the community, the police intimidated and illegally searched just about everyone passing through the park including a cancer patient recovering from recent brain surgery,” Ancient Jay told High Times.

“I was approached by one elderly gentleman who had been strip searched in plain view of everyone despite not having any cannabis or illicit substances, the humiliation he felt was visible in the tear rolling from the corner of his eye.”

Ancient Jay is a drug reform advocate, host of Ancient Jay’s Argo Nights, and has used cannabis for medical purposes for over 30 years.

British tabloid Daily Mail profiled one particular incident in which several officers dragged a man and ignored his pleas that he held a prescription for medical cannabis. The man was handcuffed and dragged away. He also said he obtained his cannabis legally from a pharmacy. The man told reporters that he assumed he’d have a good time for what was his first time at the event with legal medical cannabis.

A Victoria Police spokesman said police were on-site at Flagstaff Gardens on Wednesday for the protest, and that the man was released later—but after first being arrested, handcuffed, and hauled away. It’s not the kind of freedom advocates envisioned with legalized medical cannabis in the state.

A blogger from Platform 2 Melbourne was at the rally, and decided to record and post it on YouTube, considering the nature of the event, despite a DJ playing music in the background.

Police aggression can be plainly seen on the video, and commenters called the police “uniformed thugs,” “cowards,” and other names.

Part of the problem is accessibility for medical patients. “Despite the legality and availability of prescription cannabis the present laws create a situation that allows patients rights to be ignored,” Ancient Jay said.

The actions of police signal that they are not observing the state’s recently implemented medical cannabis law.

“The aggressive approach by police towards the 420 Rally indicates a total lack of understanding or empathy towards these vulnerable members of the community and an intimidation focused approach towards law reform campaigners.”

Psychedelic artist TROG is based in Victoria, and has many connections with the cannabis community there. He was also impacted by the course of events at the rally.

“It’s 2022, every human knows cannabis isn’t harmful, incidents like this shouldn’t happen, it’s incorrect,” TROG told High Times.

Around half of Australians say that cannabis should be legalized. According to a survey in 2019, 41.1% of Australians believe cannabis should be legalized in the country—a significant jump in approval ratings compared to 2013 when they were asked the same question. In an online survey, conducted by polling company Essential Research between March 30 and April 2 of 2022, 50% of respondents said that they were in favor of full cannabis reform.

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