Federal authorities have found an "extraordinary" amount of fentanyl hidden inside machinery in a Melbourne warehouse.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) have seized 11 kilograms of the opioid — a record in Australia — and 30 kilograms of methamphetamine that arrived from Canada late last year.
The AFP says the smuggling attempt is "outrageous" and are warning of the dangers of the deadly opioid.
While it's standard for authorities to voice concern about large shipments of illegal drugs, fentanyl poses unique risks to those who take it — which can be, in some cases, unknowingly.
What is fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a fast-acting synthetic opioid, meaning it's made in a lab — not derived from the poppy plant like natural opioids. It was developed as pain management for cancer patients.
The drug interrupts the way nerves signal pain between the brain and the body, so it can quickly and effectively block pain.
Fentanyl is normally prescribed as a patch, but can also come in the form of a lozenge, lollipop or intravenous injection.
But it's highly addictive because of its ability to bind to the brain's receptors that control pain and emotion.
What's fentanyl used for?
Fentanyl is prescribed for chronic cancer pain, post-surgery and other forms of severe pain, nerve damage, back injury and major trauma.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation says it's about 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine.
Illicit fentanyl users most commonly extract the opioid from patches and inject it.
But the AFP says overseas criminal syndicates are known to lace other drugs with fentanyl, often with fatal consequences.
That's another reason why authorities have been alarmed by the discovery in Melbourne of such a large quantity in powder form.
What does fentanyl do to the body?
Opioids slow down the messages going between the brain and the body to suppress pain. They create a sense of relaxation and sedation but can cause confusion, nausea, unconsciousness and death.
"Fentanyl can have a very serious effect on your respiratory system," the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association's Sam Biondo says.
"It can slow down your breathing, it can slow down your blood pressure. It can slowly sedate you to the point where you start going blue because of lack of oxygen and then you're in a very, very serious situation and in danger of dying."
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says the brain can get used to opioids, making it harder to feel the same pain relief or pleasure.
It says withdrawal symptoms include muscle and bone pain, disrupted sleep, vomiting and severe cravings, which make it difficult for many people to stop taking it.
How deadly is fentanyl?
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation says fentanyl affects everybody differently based on their weight, health, drug history and the amount taken.
It says just 2 milligrams can cause a fatal overdose — about the same weight as two grains of salt.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says some drug dealers are mixing fentanyl with heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA, because it takes very little to produce a high so it's cheaper for them to make.
Mr Biondo says that makes fentanyl especially dangerous on the streets.
"People think they're taking one substance and they're taking another. The substitution of this substance is what gets people in trouble," he says.
"It's only a fine line between life and death on this particular substance. A very, very, very small amount can actually be quite harmful."
Mr Biondo says fentanyl overdoses are a big problem in the United States and Canada.
"Over 60,000 people died in 2020 in the US and 21 people a day have been dying in Canada from fentanyl and it could be equally problematic if it does hold in Australia," he says.
Pop icons Prince and Tom Petty both died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl.
How widespread is illegal fentanyl use in Australia?
ABF commander James Watson says fentanyl has not been found on Australian streets in the same quantities as overseas.
But Mr Biondo said five Victorians died from fentanyl overdoses in 2020 and other Australian health authorities have expressed mounting concerns about the contamination of other drugs with fentanyl.
Research published in 2013 by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre found an increase in fentanyl-related deaths in Australia in the five years to 2011, particularly among middle-aged Australians.
It found fentanyl prescriptions increased more than fivefold.
A report from the National Wastewater Drug Program, published this year, found fentanyl consumption in Australia was trending down over the past few years.
It also found consumption on a per capita basis was "notably higher than capital city consumption".
The AFP says Australian authorities have only ever detected illicit fentanyl importations in minor amounts — all less than 30 grams — with the first case in 2017.
"So to have a detection of 11kg pure is just quite frankly extraordinary," Commander Watson says.
AFP acting commander Anthony Hall says organised criminal networks are targeting Australia for higher profits.
"It's well known that the Australian community, unfortunately, pays higher amounts of money for all types of drugs that are imported into the country," he says.
Mr Biondo says community drug education and accessible pill testing is key to help reduce the dangers of fentanyl.
