Customs seize drugs worth $5bn in a year

A record 23.8 tonnes of illicit drugs worth $5 billion were intercepted by Australian customs staff last year, including the highest number of performance and image enhancing substances for a decade.

The strong dollar and demand for the drugs means criminal gangs around the world will continue to target the Australian market, authorities say.

International narcotics syndicates are using increasingly sophisticated methods and embarkation points to smuggle substances into the country, according to the latest Australian Crime Commission Illicit Drug Data report, published on Monday.

"Over 23 tonnes of illicit drugs were seized nationally in the 2011/12 year," Australian Federal Police Commissioner Tony Negus said.

"This represents a 154 per cent increase from the 9.3 tonnes that were seized in 2010/11.

"Our high Australian dollar, our relative wealth as a country and our appetite for illicit drugs will mean we remain the target of international drug traffickers and international syndicates around the world."

A single 11-tonne seizure of hypophosphorous acid, used to make methylamphetamine, in NSW was among the key reasons for the dramatic increase.

Also bumping it up was a 57 per cent increase in border seizures of performance enhancing drugs such as steroids, hormones and peptides.

There were 8727 seizures of those drugs last financial year - the highest in a decade.

Just over 6000 of those seizures were steroids.

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Customs seize drugs worth $5bn in a year