{"id":"F2024L00249","name":"Criminal Code Amendment (Border Controlled Drugs and Precursors) Regulations 2024","slug":"criminal-code-amendment-border-controlled-drugs-and-precursors-regulations-2024","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442300,"registerId":"F2024L00249-fast-fetch-1775957346507","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Criminal Code Amendment (Border Controlled Drugs and Precursors) Regulations 2024","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nCriminal Code Amendment (Border Controlled Drugs and Precursors) Regulations 2024\n\nI, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following regulations.\n\nDated 29 February 2024\n\nDavid Hurley\n\nGovernor‑General\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command\n\nMark Dreyfus KC\n\nAttorney‑General\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Schedules\n\nSchedule 1—Amendments\n\nCriminal Code Regulations 2019\n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Criminal Code Amendment (Border Controlled Drugs and Precursors) Regulations 2024.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument The day after this instrument is registered. 1 March 2024\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under the Criminal Code Act 1995.\n\n4  Schedules\n\n  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.\n\nSchedule 1—Amendments\n\n \n\nCriminal Code Regulations 2019\n\n1  Section 14\n\nOmit “Each item of the table in clause 1”, substitute “(1) Each item of the table in subclause 1(1)”.\n\n2  Paragraph 14(a)\n\nOmit “301.4(a)”, substitute “301.4(1)(a)”.\n\n3  At the end of section 14\n\nAdd:\n\nRestricted listing\n\n (2) Each item of the table in subclause 1(2) of Schedule 2 lists:\n\n (a) for the purposes of paragraph 301.4(1)(a) and subsection 301.4(2) of the Code, a substance that is taken to be a border controlled drug only in relation to the following:\n\n (i) an offence against subsection 307.1(1), 307.2(1), 307.3(1) or 307.4(1) of the Code, if the offence relates to importing a substance;\n\n (ii) an offence against subsection 307.5(1), 307.6(1), 307.7(1), 307.8(1), 307.9(1) or 307.10(1) of the Code;\n\n (iii) an offence against subsection 309.12(1) or 309.13(1) of the Code, if the offence relates to procuring an individual to import a substance; and\n\n (b) for the purposes of paragraph (a) of item 1 of the table in section 301.10 of the Code, the quantity that is the commercial quantity of the border controlled drug; and\n\n (c) for the purposes of paragraph (a) of item 1 of the table in section 301.11 of the Code, the quantity that is the marketable quantity of the border controlled drug.\n\n4  Paragraph 15(a)\n\nOmit “301.5(a)”, substitute “301.5(1)(a)”.\n\n5  Section 16\n\nBefore “Each item”, insert “(1)”.\n\n6  At the end of section 16\n\nAdd:\n\nRestricted listing\n\n (2) Each item of the following table lists:\n\n (a) for the purposes of paragraph 301.6(1)(a) and subsection 301.6(1A) of the Code, a substance that is taken to be a border controlled precursor only in relation to the following:\n\n (i) an offence against subsection 307.11(1), 307.12(1) or 307.13(1) of the Code, if the offence relates to importing a substance;\n\n (ii) an offence against subsection 309.14(1) or 309.15(1) of the Code, if the offence relates to procuring an individual to import a substance; and\n\n (b) for the purposes of paragraph (a) of item 1 of the table in section 301.10 of the Code, the quantity that is the commercial quantity of the border controlled precursor; and\n\n (c) for the purposes of paragraph (a) of item 1 of the table in section 301.11 of the Code, the quantity that is the marketable quantity of the border controlled precursor.\n\nNote: For a salt, ester or immediate precursor of a substance listed in the table, see paragraphs 301.6(1)(b) and (c) and subsection 301.6(1B) of the Code.\n\n \n\n- Border controlled precursors and quantities—restricted listing\n- Item Border controlled precursor Commercial quantity (kilograms) Marketable quantity (grams)\n- 1 Alpha‑Methyl‑1,3‑benzodioxole‑5‑propanal (Helional) 1.0 1.0\n- 2 Benzaldehyde 1.85 4.8\n- 3 Hypophosphorous acid (Phosphinic acid) 1.2 3.2\n- 4 Iodine 1.2 3.2\n\n\n7  Clause 1 of Schedule 2\n\nBefore “The following table”, insert “(1)”.\n\n8  Clause 1 of Schedule 2 (note)\n\nOmit “301.4(b)”, substitute “301.4(1)(b)”.\n\n9  At the end of clause 1 of Schedule 2\n\nAdd:\n\nRestricted listing\n\n (2) The following table lists:\n\n (a) substances that are taken to be border controlled drugs only in relation to the following:\n\n (i) an offence against subsection 307.1(1), 307.2(1), 307.3(1) or 307.4(1) of the Code, if the offence relates to importing a substance;\n\n (ii) an offence against subsection 307.5(1), 307.6(1), 307.7(1), 307.8(1), 307.9(1) or 307.10(1) of the Code;\n\n (iii) an offence against subsection 309.12(1) or 309.13(1) of the Code, if the offence relates to procuring an individual to import a substance; and\n\n (b) the quantities of those drugs that are commercial quantities and marketable quantities.\n\nNote: For a drug analogue of a substance listed in the table, see paragraph 301.4(1)(b) and subsection 301.4(3) of the Code.\n\n \n\n- Border controlled drugs and quantities—restricted listing\n- Item Border controlled drug Commercial quantity (kilograms) Marketable quantity (grams)\n- 1 1,4‑Butanediol (1,4‑BD) 1.0 2.0\n\n\n10  Application provision\n\nThe amendments made by this Schedule apply in relation to conduct engaged in on or after the commencement of this Schedule.\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument narrows the scope of certain listings by creating 'restricted listings' that apply only to specified import-related offences and to procuring another to import (see added restricted-listing paragraphs in s14(2), s16(2) and Schedule 2 cl1(2)). It also fixes commercial and marketable quantity thresholds for particular substances. These amendments replace the prior, broader listing approach in the Criminal Code Regulations 2019 and apply to conduct on or after the commencement date (1 March 2024)."},"complexity_factors":["Cross-references to multiple Criminal Code provisions (e.g. ss301.4, 301.6, 301.10–301.11; offences in ss307.1–307.10 and ss309.12–309.15) increase interpretive load.","Introduction of 'Restricted listing' rules that limit a listing's effect to import-related and procurement-to-import offences (s14(2), s16(2), Schedule 2 cl1(2)).","Numeric thresholds given in mixed units (kilograms for commercial quantities; grams for marketable quantities) require precise measurement and evidentiary proof (see Schedule 1 items).","Amendments to numbering and subclause structure (ss14–16, clause 1 of Schedule 2) mean readers must track renumbered references across instruments.","Linked interpretive notes about salts/esters/analogues and immediate precursors rely on other subsections (e.g. 301.6(1B), 301.4(3)), creating multi-step legal characterisation.","Application provision limits effect to conduct on or after commencement (applies to conduct on or after 1 March 2024), creating prospectivity considerations."],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations amend the Criminal Code Regulations 2019 to treat certain listed chemicals as \"border controlled drugs\" or \"border controlled precursors\" only for specific import-related offences and for offences of procuring another person to import them. \n\nThey also fix commercial and marketable quantity thresholds for named substances (Helional, benzaldehyde, hypophosphorous acid, iodine, and 1,4‑butanediol), affecting importers, those who procure imports, prosecutors and enforcement agencies by clarifying when criminal liability applies (see s14(2), s16(2), Schedule 2 cl1(2))."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains its original scope of controlling border controlled drugs and precursors. The amendments are incremental additions to existing schedules and technical corrections to cross-references, consistent with the ongoing administrative function of updating controlled substance lists."},"complexity_factors":["Heavy cross-referencing to the Criminal Code Act 1995 (multiple subsections like 301.4(1)(a), 307.1(1), etc.)","Nested conditional logic: substances are only illegal 'in relation to' specific import-related offences","Dual quantity thresholds (commercial vs marketable quantities) for each substance","Technical amendments updating subsection numbering throughout existing regulations","Distinction between 'restricted listing' (import-only) and standard listing not fully explained in this instrument"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument amends Australia’s border-controlled substances by adding certain drugs and precursor chemicals to a “restricted listing” — meaning they’re treated as illegal only in import-related offences (including recruitment to import). It specifically brings 1,4‑Butanediol and several drug-making precursors under that import-only control and updates technical cross‑references.\n\nBorder Force, police, importers of chemicals and courts sentencing importation offences are affected. The change lets authorities target materials used in illicit drug manufacture at the border without criminalising ordinary, small-scale legitimate use."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/criminal-code-amendment-border-controlled-drugs-and-precursors-regulations-2024","history":"/api/acts/criminal-code-amendment-border-controlled-drugs-and-precursors-regulations-2024/history","analysis":"/api/acts/criminal-code-amendment-border-controlled-drugs-and-precursors-regulations-2024/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/criminal-code-amendment-border-controlled-drugs-and-precursors-regulations-2024/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/criminal-code-amendment-border-controlled-drugs-and-precursors-regulations-2024/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/criminal-code-amendment-border-controlled-drugs-and-precursors-regulations-2024/documents"}}