The amount of cocaine seized in the ACT jumped significantly in the past year, but ice has continued to present the biggest challenge to Australian law enforcement agencies.
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The Australian Crime Commission's Illicit Drug Data Report, launched in Canberra on Friday, showed police seized a record amount of more than 27 tonnes of illegal drugs in 2013-14.
Those drugs were seized in 93,000 separate hauls and there were 110,000 illicit drug-related arrests across the country - also record highs.
That was compared to more than 86,900 seizures which netted more than 19 tonnes of illicit drugs, and led to arrests, the previous year.
The ACT mirrored other states and territories, except NSW, where cannabis remained the most common drug that was used, seized and led to arrests.
Amphetamine-type stimulants were the next most commonly-seized illicit substance in the territory, followed by other or unknown drugs, heroin and other opioids such as morphine and codeine, then cocaine.
The number of seizures of cocaine increased 123 per cent from 13 to 29, while the amount jumped from one kilogram in 2012-13 to 17 kilograms.
While both the number and weight of cocaine detections at the Australian border decreased, the number of detections was second highest on record.
The report showed more drugs which sat in the 'other and unknown' category, which included psychoactive substances, synthetic drugs, precursors and growth hormones, were seized in the ACT than any other jurisdiction.
Hauls of that drug type made up more than 10 per cent of the territory's illegal drug seizures in the last financial year, which was down from the previous year.
The commission's chief executive Chris Dawson said law enforcement agencies focused on those substances in an effort to stymie new drug markets.
He said changes to ACT laws meant there were now offences for importing psychoactive substances and synthetic drugs.
"This is a significant blow against those who have sought to exploit the limits of previous legislation," Mr Dawson said.
But he identified the market for methylamphetamine, now most commonly taken as ice, as the biggest concern for authorities and the wider community.
Although the amount of ice seized across Australia dropped in the past year, the number of seizures hit a record high.
"In my 38 years in law enforcement, I have never seen a substance as destructive as
methylamphetamine, particularly crystal methylamphetamine (ice)," Mr Dawson said.
He said the drug had wreaked havoc in every state and territory and had ruined lives, families and communities.
"We are now seeing demand for methylamphetamine in areas where the drug has not previously been a significant issue.
"This includes urban and rural areas and disadvantaged communities where it is having a destructive impact."
The report found the purity of ice available in the ACT had dropped significantly from the previous two years, from 70 per cent to about 32 per cent.
The report said police discovered 744 clandestine drug labs, which they often use to gauge the size of the local market, in the period, which was down from last year.
However, the number of secret illicit drug laboratories detected has jumped more than 95 per cent in the past decade.
Analysis of cocaine coming into Australia indicated the main country the drug was sourced from had potentially shifted from Colombia to Peru.
There was also evidence illegally imported heroin had originated in South America for the first time.
ACT police chief Rudi Lammers welcomed the report and said trends in illicit drug supply importation and supply in NSW often flowed into the territory.
"As an intelligence-led agency, ACT Policing will use the report to target and disrupt the manufacture and distribution of illicit substances in our community," he said.
