How many amphetamine-type stimulants are trafficked each year in Australia?
In 2019-20 there were 1,377 amphetamine-type stimulant† border detections in Australia. This amounted to a total weight of 5,272 kilograms (the highest on record).
In addition, 2,099 kilograms of amphetamine-type stimulant precursors were detected at the Australian border in 2019-20 (from 790 border detections).
Source: Australian Crime Commission (2021). Illicit Drug Data Report 2019-20.
† 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.