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Man charged after dangerous date rape drug 'coma in a bottle' seized

A dangerous date rape drug has been seized by police, just weeks out from the Sydney party criminals were allegedly targeting.

With a street value of $7 million, it's one of the country's biggest ever busts of the substance, known as "coma in a bottle".

One man has been charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border control drug.

Abedelrahman Masri is facing the possibility of life behind bars - allegedly responsible for the second largest haul of date-rape drug GBL in Australian history.

Masri faces one charge importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled substance. Source: 7 News
Masri faces one charge importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled substance. Source: 7 News

"They're rolling the dice every single time - they have to be lucky every single time, we only have to get lucky once and when we get lucky you go to jail for life," said Australian Federal Police commander Chris Sheehan.

Operation Moorfoot began just last week with a tip-off leading investigators to the Chinese shipment.

When Border Force busted the container open, they found 120 barrels of car washing shampoo - the deadly party drug was hidden inside 10 of them.

"GBL kills people... it is a corrosive industrial solvent that can be used for stripping paint and a range of other industrial applications," Comm Sheehan.

Authorities warn there will be more arrests. Source: 7 News
Authorities warn there will be more arrests. Source: 7 News

GBL, commonly known as liquid ecstasy, fantasy and coma in a bottle, can melt plastic.

Detectives warn there will be more arrests.

When Border Force busted the container open, they found 120 barrels of car washing shampoo. The deadly party drug was hidden inside 10. Source: 7 News
When Border Force busted the container open, they found 120 barrels of car washing shampoo. The deadly party drug was hidden inside 10. Source: 7 News

Police estimate, there are around half-a-million hits in the barrels, worth between $5-7 million on the streets. Police say the barrels were headed for Mardi Gras.

Masri has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border control drug.

He's expected to apply for bail when he fronts court next week.