Townsville drug squad officers have seized a haul of the date rape drug ketamine, ecstasy tablets, liquid growth hormone and anabolic steroids with an estimated street value of $60,000.
Police raided a Jensen home on Monday, seizing more than 1000 ketamine tablets -- a hallucinogenic drug also known as Vitamin K.
Drug Squad Detective Sergeant Brad Phelps said yesterday ketamine, a veterinary anaesthetic used as a stimulant, was very popular on the nightclub and rave party scene.
Sgt Phelps said it was the second haul of the drug in a week and was unusual as the drug had not previously been seized in the Townsville area.
He said no ketamine tablets had been reported stolen from around the Townsville area.
"(Ketamine) has been found to have been used frequently during sexual assault cases in that it heightens the senses, similar to rohypnol," Sgt Phelps said.
"The drug is also used in weight training to gain weight quickly, apparently because it opens up the receptors.
"The tablets were in multiple colours, predominantly blue and a creamy beige, with different symbols all over them such as musical and abstract patterns.
"There was also a quantity of ecstasy tablets seized during the raid.
"In terms of street value, ketamine tablets are selling for between $30 and $50 a tablet, while ecstasy tablets are selling for about $50 each.
"We also seized a large quantity of liquid growth hormone, more than 1200ml, as well as about 500 anabolic steroid tablets, estimated to be worth more than $10,000 in street value."
Sgt Phelps said a 30-year-old Jensen man was charged with supplying and possessing dangerous drugs and steroids.
He said the man was bailed to appear in court on January 2.
"We want to warn the nightclub crowd to be aware that these drugs are out on the street, and to be on the watch out," Sgt Phelps said.
