A potentially deadly substance found in industrial processes—from mixing cleaning products to producing spandex—is being brought into the country in what the Australian Federal Police (AFP) describes is a “tidal wave.”
More than 3.8 tonnes of the chemical solvent 1,4-Butanediol (1,4-BD) have already been seized between January 1 and April 30, 2025, and the AFP says it shows no sign of slowing.
The drug, marketed as “fantasy” or “bute,” has only been illegal since the law was changed in March 2024, listing it as a border-controlled drug and making its unlicensed importation illegal.
This puts it on par with methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, MDMA and other more well-known border-controlled drugs.
What it Does
When ingested, 1,4-BD converts to gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), which is also a border-controlled drug that depresses the central nervous system, slowing down messages between the brain and body. Users can experience drowsiness, confusion, blackouts and memory loss, seizures, unconsciousness, or even death.A few milligrams can be the difference between surviving and dying.
Because of its effects, GHB is commonly used not only as a party drug but is also administered to unwitting victims of theft, sexual assault, and rape, making it not just a health risk but an added danger for those who don’t know they’ve consumed it.
Used in Sexual Assaults
The AFP says it continues to be concerned with reports that 1,4-BD is one of the central drivers of fatal and non-fatal GHB overdoses in Australia and is being used to enable sexual assault through the spiking of food and drink.AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Paula Hudson said its generic street name of “fantasy” was misleading and hid the effects of this substance.
“Although 1,4-Butanediol has a legitimate industrial use, factors such as the significant volumes and concealment methods used in its illegal importation suggest it is targeted for a more nefarious use,” she said.
“[It] is dangerous on many levels. Unlike other illicit drugs, it can be used as an instrument of crime rather than being generally taken only for personal use.”
The number of victims of sexual assault recorded by police rose by 11 percent in 2023, the 12th straight annual rise, according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). There were 36,318 cases, with increases across almost all states and territories.
Accounting for population growth, the rate of recorded sexual assaults went from 126 per 100,000 people in 2022, to 136 per 100,000 people in 2023, the highest rate recorded in 31 years of data.
Meanwhile, there was a 4-fold increase in GHB-related hospitalisations across the period 2012/13 to 2020/21 and an increase in deaths attributed to use of the drug from 0.01 to 0.06 per 100,000 in the same period.
Zero Tolerance
The significant amount of 1,4-BD being illegally imported into Australia has prompted the AFP and Australian Border Force (ABF) to reinforce a zero-tolerance rule towards criminal networks attempting to bring it into the country.“It’s a fight on multiple fronts for police, emergency, and health services, all working together to combat the importation, distribution, and consumption of this harmful illicit substance,” Hudson said.
“Organised crime networks will try to import and flood our communities with any illicit substance from which they can make a lucrative profit. We have seen [them] use a number of methods, such as concealing it in bottles labelled as cosmetics, including shampoo and body wash.”
Anyone convicted of illegally importing 1,4-BD can now face penalties up to a maximum of life imprisonment, and the drug can be seized and importations investigated by federal agencies.
Recent cases include a 48-year-old Queensland man charged in August 2024 with importing 60 litres of 1,4 Butanediol inside 120 bottles concealed as shower gel. And in November, a 34-year-old Sydney man was charged with bringing in about seven litres of the substance in bottles labelled “shark essence oil” and “rose oil.”
