Heroin found in expected ‘cocaine’ sample4 Sep 2026ACTCocaine Heroin Opioids StimulantsA white powder sample expected to contain cocaine was found to contain heroin and no cocaine. What does this mean? This is the third public drug warning that CanTEST have released relating to heroin being present in drugs sold as cocaine in recent months. People consuming cocaine should be aware of the signs of opioid overdose, and users should alsoRead notification
Heroin found in expected ‘cocaine’ sample23 Jul 2026ACTCocaine Heroin Opioids StimulantsA white rock sample expected to contain cocaine was found to contain heroin and no cocaine. This is the 2nd time this month an expected cocaine sample presented at CanTEST was found to be heroin. What does this mean? In recent weeks, both NSW Health and VIC Health have released public drug warnings relating to heroin being present in drugs sold as cocaine and methamphetamine.Read notification
Heroin found in expected ‘cocaine’ sample10 Jul 2026ACTCocaine Heroin Opioids StimulantsA white powder sample expected to contain cocaine was found to contain heroin and no cocaine. What does this mean? In recent weeks, both NSW Health and VIC Health have released public drug warnings relating to heroin being present in drugs sold as cocaine and methamphetamine. People consuming cocaine should be aware of the signs of opioid overdose, and usersRead notification
Fentanyl found in heroin sample8 May 2026ACTFentanyl Heroin OpioidsTwo brown powder samples expected to contain heroin were found to contain fentanyl, phenacetin, paracetamol, heroin (6% in one sample, 10% in the other), and fluorofentanyl. The samples were sourced locally (ACT region). What does this mean? Fentanyl carries the risk of fatal, opioid-like overdose, estimated to be between 50 and 100 times stronger than morphine and significantly more potentRead notification
Protonitazene found in heroin sample3 Apr 2026ACTHeroin Nitazenes OpioidsA white powder sample, expected to contain heroin, was found to contain protonitazene instead with a trace amount of heroin. The sample was sourced locally (ACT region). What does this mean? Protonitazene is a highly potent synthetic opioid, estimated to be more than 200 times stronger than morphine. All nitazenes carry a risk of fatal overdose – even in smallRead notification
Methylmethaqualone and flurofentanyl found in ‘opioid’ capsule3 Oct 2025ACTDepressants Fentanyl OpioidsA capsule filled with an off-white powder expected to contain an unknown opioid was found to contain methylmethqualone and a fluorofentanyl. CanTEST has detected MMQ by itself previously (a Yellow Community Notice was issued in Nov 2024). Effects Methylmethqualone (MMQ) is an analogue of the more common methaqualone (MQ). It’s a quinazolone sedative hypnotic – which is a central nervousRead notification