European organised crime groups trafficking kilos of ketamine cut and sold at quarter of price of cocaine on Adelaide’s streets into Australia
The dangerous party drug that killed Matthew Perry is being cut with harmful chemicals and sold for a quarter of the price of cocaine on Adelaide’s streets.
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European organised crime groups are flooding South Australian streets with ketamine being “cut” and sold for a quarter of the price of cocaine on the back of a boom in popularity driving an unprecedented amount of the drug into Australia.
A Sunday Mail investigation has revealed ketamine mixed with potentially harmful chemicals is being sold on Adelaide’s streets at dangerously low prices, fuelling the emergence of the party drug as young peoples’ illicit substance of choice.
The drug that killed Friends actor Matthew Perry late last year has become so readily available it is now being sold on the street for as little as $100 per gram at 60 per cent purity, while the price of cocaine sits at $350 to $400 per gram.
One street level dealer, who sells ketamine almost exclusively over social media platform Snapchat and encrypted messaging services WhatsApp and Telegram, openly advertises batches of the drug “cut” with other potentially harmful chemicals for a discounted price.
After being imported into Australia, batches of the ketamine are cut to 60 per cent and 80 per cent purity, to increase profit, and sold for $100 and $150 per gram, while ketamine advertised as pure is sold for $200 per gram – half the price of cocaine.
In March, authorities in Melbourne intercepted 3.5kg of ketamine bound for South Australia hidden in folded linen.
Australian Federal Police officers are investigating the origins of the package, sent via international post.
Several ketamine users told the Sunday Mail they preferred the drug over cocaine because of its low cost, accessibility and value for money, with one gram often lasting months because of the strong effects and small amount needed for a high.
Originally designed for medical use as an anaesthetic or sedative, ketamine is commonly snorted but can be injected in liquid form or taken orally in tablet form.
Users often experience the feeling of being detached from their own body and disorientation, with adverse reactions leaving some users in the “K-hole” – a term referring to severe dissociation.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s principal drugs adviser Shane Neilson said authorities had become concerned at the involvement of organised crime groups in ketamine importation to Australia since the drug came onto the commission’s radar in late 2020.
“The major concern with ketamine is the increase in supply and the involvement of organised crime,” Mr Neilson said.
“Clearly a significant amount is being sent here by organised crime for the market to be increasing when that much is being taken out of the market, it shows you how wide ranging and determined the criminal effort is to get the drug into this country.”
Mr Neilson said the bumper influx of ketamine, which is largely manufactured in Southeast Asia and imported to Australia via Europe, was a result of organised crime groups’ decision to take advantage of Australia’s appetite for the drug.
“We see that there are importations in significant quantities of ketamine by serious and organised crime,” Mr Neilson said.
A kilogram of pure ketamine, also known as “Special K”, is estimated to be worth more than $200,000 on the streets.
Mr Neilson said large amounts of ketamine were being sent to Australia through less traditional trafficking methods including international parcel post.
“It’s really adding up to a significant quantity,” he said.
“What it does show is that there’s a diversity of supply.
“It is a broad supply to Australia but it is organised.”
He said although Australia’s ketamine market was still smaller than that of cocaine and methamphetamine, the large quantities being seized at the border were a concern.
“For ketamine it’s up around the higher levels that we’ve seen,” he said.
“Our sense is that demand is certainly increasing.”
Los Angeles police, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the US Postal Service this week launched an investigation into who supplied Friends star Matthew Perry with the ketamine that caused his death last October.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner concluded in December that he died from acute effects of ketamine.
In 2023, the AFP and Australian Border Force seized 882kg of ketamine destined for Australian streets – more than double the 415kg seized in 2022.
AFP Commander Paula Hudson said transnational serious organised crime syndicates were using a range of sophisticated methods to import ketamine into Australia.
Commander Hudson said some of the AFP’s biggest criminal targets operating outside of Australia were likely linked to a large percentage of ketamine seized around the country.
“Australia continues to be viewed as a lucrative market for illicit drugs and remains an attractive target for transnational serious organised crime,” she said.
“There is a high demand in Australia for illicit drugs, and Australians pay among the highest prices in the world for these drugs – that’s why transnational serious organised crime groups target Australia.”
The AFP and ABF last year carried out the biggest ketamine seizure in Australia after 80kg was allegedly found concealed in 40 buckets of liquid cement and a further 65kg buried near Geelong.
ABF Superintendent Jody Griswood said criminal organisations were becoming bolder and more creative in importing ketamine each time authorities thwarted their attempts.
“While I can’t be too specific, lest I give away information about our methods to criminals, we rely on targeting and detection capabilities including intelligence, cutting edge technologies, and invaluable officer intuition honed through their frontline experience,” Superintendent Griswood said.
“Everyday our officer’s work at the border to protect the community from the enormous harm criminal groups seek to inflict on us.”
Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia statewide clinical director Dr Victoria Cook said although ketamine overdoses were rare, mixing the drug with other substances including alcohol and opioids could be fatal for users.
“They may think it is pure ketamine, but it may contain other substances like novel potent opioids which may cause unexpected and inadvertent overdoses,” Dr Cook said.
“No one taking illicit drugs can be 100 per cent sure what they have taken.”
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