Adam Hardacre, 35 of Davoren Park, charged with importing date-rape drug ‘Bute’

A northern suburbs man charged with importing a significant amount of a date-rape drug can now be identified after spending the last six months behind bars on remand.

A 35-year-old Davoren Park man was arrested by ABF officers for allegedly importing a date-rape drug. Picture: Supplied by ABF

A northern suburbs man charged with importing a significant amount of a date-rape drug can now be identified after spending the last six months behind bars on remand.

Adam John Hardacre, of Davoren Park, was charged late last year following a multi-agency sting involving a swap-out of the drugs for fake packages.

Mr Hardacre has been charged with two counts of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and one count of possessing a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported border controlled drug.

Officers from the Australian Border Force began an investigation late last year after two packages imported from China were intercepted in New South Wales.

Adam Hardacre has been charged with importing a large quantity of a date rape drug. Picture: Facebook

Officers then replaced the drug with a harmless liquid, and with the assistance of SA Police, carried out a “managed delivery” at the Davoren Park address where Mr Hardacre allegedly accepted the packages.

Border Force officers then executed a search and seizure warrant at the property, and seized a number of items including the two packages, two mobile phones, anabolic steroids, a CCTV hard drive and cameras, multiple bags of marijuana, and additional bottles which also tested positive to 1,4-Butanediol.

The ABF said the packages were allegedly found to contain bottles of a liquid, weighing a total of 22.6kg.

Bute is an industrial solvent which is naturally converted into GHB once ingested, and slows down the functions of a person’s nervous system. It is known as a ‘date-rape’ drug.

According to court documents, police allege Mr Hardacre imported the substance on September 23 last year to his home in Davoren Park.

The 35-year-old has been in custody since his arrest and has made no application for bail.

In court on Tuesday, prosecutors asked for an answer charge date to be set in eight weeks, to allow for further examination of DNA and bank statements.

A 35-year-old Davoren Park man was arrested by ABF officers for allegedly importing a date-rape drug. Picture: Supplied by ABF

A 35-year-old Davoren Park man was arrested by ABF officers for allegedly importing a date-rape drug. Picture: Supplied by ABF

He will return to court again in May.

Following the arrest, ABF Inspector Steve Garden said 1,4-Butanediol was declared by authorities as a border controlled drug in March this year, after reports of the escalating harm from the use of the drug, which can be substituted for gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB.

“While there are legitimate uses for bute as an industrial solvent, it is found to increasingly be used as an illicit substance or precursor, as it slows down the body’s nervous system when ingested,” Inspector Garden said.