You can die from just breathing the invisible dust from it.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-22/ ... /101356236
AFP, ABF discover record fentanyl seizure in machinery sent from Canada to Melbourne
11 kilograms of fentanyl and 30kg of methamphetamine
"This drug is one of the more dangerous drugs that our officers can come into contact with so they acted immediately to set up an exclusion zone within the container examination facility," Commander Watson said.
He said they put on extra personal protective equipment, and set up decontamination zones in case of exposure and rostered paramedics to be on hand throughout the operation.
Federal authorities have intercepted a record amount of the potentially deadly opioid fentanyl, hidden inside machinery sent to Melbourne.
Key points:
The AFP says the 11 kilograms of fentanyl found was equivalent to about 5.5 million potential lethal doses of the opioid
Fentanyl is highly addictive and authorities say it has been mixed with heroin overseas, causing thousands of deaths
Authorities say organised crime networks are behind the smuggling operation, but no arrests have been made
The Australia Federal Police (AFP) and Australia Border Force (ABF) today announced the seizure of 11 kilograms of fentanyl and 30kg of methamphetamine found inside an industrial wooden lathe — machinery used for wood or metal working — that arrived at the Port of Melbourne from Canada in December last year.
The AFP says it was the equivalent of more than 5 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl and $27 million worth of methamphetamine.
Australia has only ever recorded illicit fentanyl importations of less than 30g, with the first case in 2017.
"So to have a detection of 11kg pure is just quite frankly extraordinary," ABF Commander James Watson said.
Fentanyl is a fast-acting opioid that is highly addictive and acts on the same receptors in the body as heroin.
The drug is primarily used for medical purposes, but the AFP says it can be mixed with heroin in overseas illicit drug markets, often with fatal consequences.
Commander Watson said there was a "fentanyl epidemic" in some parts of the world, causing thousands of deaths a year.
"The audacity of the group behind this is just quite frankly outrageous.
I'd describe it as a total act of bastardry."
