The Backpackers were staying at a property in Perth’s Victoria Park district when a package arrived at the property containing white powder. The nine, believing the powder to be Cocaine, snorted a line each and quickly became paralysed and suffered seizures and hallucinations. Unable to help themselves, they were taken to hospital only after another housemate returned home.

“We were powerless, we couldn’t do anything,” Simone (one of the backpackers) said.

Several of the housemates had to be put in to medically induced comas to bring their conditions back under control.

“Several of these people would have died I’m pretty sure without medical intervention,” David McCutcheon, an emergency doctor at the Royal Perth Hospital told the West Australian, “…They were hallucinating, their hearts were racing, several of them had to be put in a medically induced coma for their own protection and I really need to emphasise how seriously unwell they were.”

Three remain in intensive care. The powder most likely contained Hyoscine, an over the counter prescription drug usually used to treat travel-sickness and gastro problems however, used in large doses, has gained infamy as a date rape drug due its properties of causing paralysis.

We can’t say it enough people – unless you are 100% sure of what you are taking don’t bloody take it!