CANBERRA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Use of the illicit drug ketamine in Australia has risen to a record high, analysis of drug levels found in sewage has found.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) on Thursday published the 23rd report from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program.

Based on data collected from 59 sites across the country in April and June 2024, the report revealed that there was record-high excretion of ketamine in both capital cities and regional areas in April.

Used medically for induction and maintenance of anesthesia, ketamine is also used illicitly as a recreational drug.

The report found that cocaine use was lower in capital cities and regional areas in April than in December 2023 but remained higher than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regional consumption of the opioid oxycodone and fentanyl fell to record low levels in April.

Cannabis remained the most consumed illicit drug in Australia.

"Much of the harm Australians suffer at the hands of organized crime is due to illicit drugs. These harms may include negative impacts and consequences on the physical and mental health of users and their families, related acts of violence including serious assaults and murder, property crime and dangerous traffic offences," ACIC Chief Executive Heather Cook said in a statement.

"Serious and organized crime groups are highly capable, well-resourced, resilient and increasingly transnational. They threaten our community safety, they threaten the integrity of our borders, and they threaten and undermine our financial systems," Cook said. Enditem

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