How many amphetamine-type stimulants are trafficked each year in Australia?
In 2020-21 there were 1,753 amphetamine-type stimulant† border detections in Australia. This amounted to a total weight of 5,291 kilograms.
In addition, 1,031 kilograms of amphetamine-type stimulant precursors were detected at the Australian border in 2020-21 (from 571 border detections).
Source: Australian Crime Commission (2023). Illicit Drug Data Report 2020-21.
†For the purposes of this FAQ, amphetamine-type stimulants include amphetamine, methylamphetamine and phenethylamines.
Precursors: Considered to be the starting materials for illicit drug manufacture. As a result of chemical reactions, the precursor’s molecular structure is modified to produce a specific illicit drug. For example, precursors such as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine can be converted into methylamphetamine.