Aussie Police Warn Dodgy Cocaine Is Being Cut With A Cancer-Causing Drug

Australian police have warned cocaine users that a dodgy batch of the white stuff is being sold by dealers at the moment.

While the illegal narcotic certainly isn't something you should put in your body, researchers have found this new batch contains a known cancer-causing chemical and an animal dewormer.

They've inspected some of the 1.12 tonnes of cocaine that has been seized at border ports this year and discovered phenacetin as well as the powerful worming agent levamisole.

AFP's commander of forensic operations Paula Hudson said: "Levamisole, an animal worming agent that can cause serious skin infections in humans, is often detected in cocaine, which is mainly produced in the Americas.

"Phenacetin, a drug that is banned in most countries because it causes cancer and damages kidneys, is also being added to cocaine in a bid to boost the profits of illicit drug dealers."

Cops will always tell people not to consume cocaine, however they're worried people could be putting themselves at a high risk of danger if they consume cocaine laced with these two chemicals

They've also issued their warning as the silly season, Christmas and New Year's Eve is fast approaching and people will no doubt be letting loose to say goodbye to 2021.

According to The West Australian, Aussies consume more than 5.6 tonnes of cocaine every year.

That means, cops are only seizing around a quarter of the stuff that is sent from South America.

AFP's Paula Hudson said: "The AFP is imploring Australians to be safe this Christmas and be mindful that their lives are often in the hands of brutal cartels and transnational serious organised criminals like outlaw motorcycle gangs in Australia.

"(They) do not care about what toxic substances are being mixed with illicit drugs, which are dangerous in their own right."

Police have noticed that dealers are cutting cocaine in Australia with some serious other substances to beef up the strength or just the quantity.

In June, authorities said two people had died and several more had to go to hospital after taking cocaine that had been laced with opioids.

Then in October last year, NSW Health revealed traces of fentanyl and acetylfentanylhave were also detected.

Fentanyl and acetylfentanyl are used in hospitals as a strong anaesthetic, however people use it recreationally as it's around 100 times and 15 times stronger than morphine respectively.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie