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Surging illicit demand for an addictive sedative coincides with authorities uncovering the banned substance in more and more curious places.
Recreational use of ketamine has quadrupled in the past seven years among people aged over 13, with 900,000 people now reporting to have tried it in their lifetime.
While used safely in hospital settings, demand on the streets has led to a rapid rise in how much police are seizing each month.
In the latest major seizure, an 18-year-old UK resident tried to walk 20kg of the anesthetic through customs at Sydney Airport in several suitcases.
It followed 882kg of ketamine being seized in 2023, up from 415kg in 2022.
The combined haul included 84kg hidden in two new commercial vans on a cargo ship destined for Sydney, 80kg concealed in 40 buckets of coating shipped to Melbourne, and another 65kg buried at a property near Geelong.
The Australian federal police is concerned criminals are increasing their efforts to import the prohibited substance. Acting Cmdr Kristy Scott said in a statement on Sunday”
Siege unfolds at Geelong home
Victoria police are currently responding to an incident at a Horne Square home in the Geelong suburb of Corio.
When emergency services arrived after receiving a report of a possible firearms incident after 11:30 am, a man and woman barricaded themselves inside the address, refusing to engage with police, Victoria police said in a statement.
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.
About 300,000 or 1.4% of Australians reported using it in the past 12 months, according to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey released last week.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park voiced strong concern about the drug’s illicit use. He told reporters today:
People [must] understand this message loud and clear: ketamine is not safe to be used outside a hospital setting.
It is dangerous, it can kill you, it can cause extreme harm.
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