Davoren Park man, 35, allegedly caught with over 20kg of date rape drug, cannabis, steroids

A northern suburbs man has allegedly been busted with over 20kg of a date-rape drug, cannabis and steroids after Border Force officers delivered them to his home.

A northern suburbs man will remain behind bars on remand until at least December after allegedly accepting two packages of date-rape drugs from undercover federal officers.

Officers from the Australian Border Force began an investigation earlier this month after two packages imported from China were intercepted in New South Wales.

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

The liquid – which later tested positive for 1,4-Butanediol, commonly known as bute – was intended for an address in Davoren Park.

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.

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

On Wednesday this week, officers 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 the occupant 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.

A 35-year-old man was arrested and 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.

He faced the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Thursday, where he did not apply for bail, and will remain in custody until his next hearing in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in December.

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

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.

“This makes it an extremely dangerous drug that unfortunately can prove fatal, while reports are on the rise of it also being linked to sexual assaults.

“Be assured our officers are on high alert to the illegal importation of bute into Australia, as criminal syndicates attempt to make profits from this dangerous substance with no care or concern about the harm and misery it causes in our community.”