The substances, which are often sold as something else, are 10 times more potent than fentanyl and unknowing users risk death.
Deadly illicit drugs called nitazenes are coming into Australia and being sold to unsuspecting users as anything from cocaine, MDMA, GHB or even counterfeit prescription medications, the Australia Federal Police (AFP) have warned.
Nitazenes are synthetic opioids and come in a variety of forms, including powders, tablets, nasal sprays, and even vape liquids.
Even if someone was aware they were buying an opioid, the strength of nitazenes—which is up to 50 times that of fentanyl—means an elevated risk of overdosing. If the substance is sold as another drug, then the risk is even higher.
The drugs are extremely potent and cause serious and unpredictable health effects, including loss of consciousness, shallow or stopped breathing, bluish-purple skin, a slow or erratic pulse, or death.
Nitazenes were developed and tested in the 1950s by pharmaceutical companies but, unlike fentanyl, did not proceed to therapeutic use due to their poor safety profile.
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The products remain openly on sale today, including one which has U.S. contact details and is sold alongside ketamine, LSD, methamphetamine, and “flakka” (similar to bath salts)—all illegal in the United States.
An edited screenshot taken Dec. 3, 2024, of a website—apparently based in the United States—openly selling nitazene online, alongside a menu of illegal drugs.
AFP Commander Paula Hudson said the AFP considered nitazenes to pose a greater threat to the Australian community than fentanyl and was working closely with partners to monitor the threat.
“To put it in perspective, around two milligrams of fentanyl—or the equivalent of the size of two grains of salt—is considered lethal,” she said.
“Taking nitazenes is like playing Russian roulette with your life. It’s a serious gamble, and even the smallest amount can lead to a fatal overdose. When mixed with other illicit drugs, users have no idea what they are taking before it’s too late.
“Synthetic opioids can be so potent there is a serious concern for frontline workers like emergency hospital staff, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers and AFP forensics members, who could be exposed to fatal health effects through inhalation and exposure when handling the substance,” Hudson said.
In the 21 months between January 2023 and September 2024, the ABF detected 64 imports of nitazenes at the Australian border. They originated from Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Canada, and were mainly imported through international mail.
In October 2023, a Northern Territory man aged 39 was charged by police for allegedly importing the potent opioid, metonitazene, through the mail from the United Kingdom; and in June 2024, police seized 4 kilograms of a nitazene analogue located during a search at the home of a 28-year-old Malaysian citizen in Doncaster East, Victoria.
AFP forensics officers at a nitazene-related arrest in Western Sydney in an undated photo. Courtesy of the AFP
AFP forensics has analysed a significant portion of seized nitazenes and says there is no evidence indicating they are being manufactured in Australia.
“The increased presence of nitazenes at the border is a matter of deep concern to the ABF, and the threat they pose to the Australian community is immense,” said ABF Acting Commander Troy Sokoloff.
“Nitazenes are causing significant community harm and deaths globally, and our collaboration with law enforcement partners both here and internationally is integral to address this scourge.
“We work closely with our international counterparts to identify and disrupt smuggling networks targeting the Australian community.”
Earlier this year, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) cautioned that unlike fentanyl, which is well-studied due to its medical use, nitazenes remain poorly understood because of limited research and detection challenges.
They recommended nationwide drug-checking and supervised injection rooms, along with improved access to naloxone and drug education, to mitigate the risks.
“Access to opioid dependence treatments like methadone and buprenorphine can be life-saving and could also be expanded,” the RACGP said.
