Police are scrambling to warn the public of the deadly risks associated with a powerful synthetic drug now being imported into Australia.

The deadly c arfentanyl, or carfentanil, drug was first seized in Sydney in December and now it's just been detected in Brisbane.

A 0.002mg dose of the drug, commonly used to bring down enormous animals such as elephants, is enough to kill a person.

'The drug is based on Fentanyl, but is significantly more potent. A small dose has the capacity to kill – this is not a drug anyone should be taking a risk with,' Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker, Queensland Police Service Drug and Serious Crime Group, said on Friday.

Police have issued a warning over the use of carfentanil (pictured) after the drug was detected in Brisbane

Detective Superintendent Jon Wacker of Queensland Police Service is concerned carfentanil has been detected in Queensland

'Make no mistake, these are not party drugs.

'These are dangerous drugs and it’s not a matter of if it will kill you. This drug will kill you.'

He said he was 'very concerned to see this drug in Queensland'.

Police said the drug was intercepted by the Australian Border Force at a Brisbane mail centre.

Carfentanil is one of the world's deadliest drugs and is 10,000 times stronger than morphine.

The drug is so powerful one microgram - a dose 100 times smaller than a grain of salt - would cause a reaction in humans and the drug has been linked to a spate of deaths across Canada and the U.S.

Only 2mg of carfentanil is used to tranquilise a fully grown male elephant weighing up to 900kg.

Carfentanil, one of the world's deadliest drugs, is 10,000 times stronger than morphine (Stock Image)

Carfentanil was seized by Australian Border Force at a Brisbane mail centre

Only 2mg of carfentanil is used to tranquilise a fully grown male elephant weighing up to 900kg (Stock Image)