Australia Expands Control Scope of Precursor Chemicals

On March 5, 2025, the Office of Drug Control (ODC) under Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Government published an announcement to impose licensing control on the import and/or export of newly controlled substances*. New requirements are imposed based on the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956, the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958, and the Customs Legislation Amendment (Drugs) Regulations 2025. From March 1, 2025, a license or permit from the ODC is required for intended import and/or export of the newly controlled substances into/from Australia.

*According to the ODC, controlled substances include medicinal cannabis, narcotics, psychotropic drugs and precursor chemicals.

Regulatory basis	Article 5 of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956	Article 10 of the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958
Regulatory basis	Customs Legislation Amendment (Drugs) Regulations 2025
Newly controlled substances	New substances included under Schedule 4 of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956: Butonitazene 3-chloromethcathinone (otherwise known as 3-CMC) Dipentylone 2-fluorodeschloroketamine Bromazolam ‘P-2-P methyl glycidic acid (otherwise known as BMK glycidic acid) Esters of 3,4-MDP-2-P methyl glycidic acid (otherwise known as PMK glycidic acid): ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, and tert-butyl esters 4-piperidone 1-boc-4-piperidone Etodesnitazene Etonitazepipne Flunitazene Ibotenic Acid Ethylene etonitazene N-Desethyl etonitazene N-Desethyl isotonitazene N-Desethyl protonitazene Ethyleneoxynitazene Isotodesnitazene Metodesnitazene (otherwise known as metazene) Methylenedioxynitazene (2-(2-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)-N,N-diethylethan-1-amine) Protonitazepyne (otherwise known as N-pyrrolidino protonitazene) Benzoylbenzylfentanyl Benzoylfentanyl Benzylfentanyl Benzylfuranylfentanyl Furanylfentanyl 3-Phenylpropanoylfentanyl Secofentanyl Thiofuranylfentanyl Diethyl 2-(2-phenylacetyl)propanedioate P-2-P ethyl glycidate 1-phenyl-2-propyl-2-yl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate Ethyl alpha-phenylacetoacetate (otherwise known as EAPA)	New substances included under Schedule 8 of the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958: Part 1 Butonitazene Part 2 3-chloromethcathinone (otherwise known as 3-CMC) Dipentylone 2-fluorodeschloroketamine Part 3 P-2-P methyl glycidic acid (otherwise known as BMK glycidic acid) and its methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, and tert-butyl esters 3,4-MDP-2-P methyl glycidic acid (otherwise known as PMK glycidic acid) and its ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, and tert-butyl esters 4-piperidone 1-boc-4-piperidone Part 4 Bromazolam
Control measures	From March 1, 2025, an import licence and permit shall be obtained from the ODC for importing any listed controlled substances.	From March 1, 2025, an export licence and permit shall be obtained from the ODC for exporting any listed controlled substances.

You can refer to the ODC online database - List of controlled substances to confirm whether your chemical substances require import/export license and permit from the ODC.