THE amount of amphetamines detected in South Australia has increased more than six-fold in the past year.

An Australian Crime Commission report into illicit drugs shows amphetamines detections in SA increased 525 per cent in 12 months - up from 7761 grams to 48,539 grams in 2010-11 - and heroin seizures jumped 241 per cent to 400kg in the same period.

The report, released yesterday, shows drug seizures nationally were the highest for a decade (69,500). SA was the only state to record more arrests involving amphetamines - up 23.3 per cent.

Authorities have pinpointed outlaw crime gangs as those responsible for a surge in illicit drug use.

SA, which has 7.4 per cent of Australia's population, had 14 per cent of the seizures of cannabis by weight - an increase of 12.5 per cent - and arrests jumped 10 per cent.

Police Assistant Commissioner Grant Stevens said illicit drug use "harms individuals and families, while drug-related crime impacts the whole community". He said substance profiling was an important step in stopping drug supply.

"It can identify other harmful chemicals the end user may be surprised to find in their drugs and it also allows for comparisons within and between seizures to identify distinct batches of drugs or potential links between groups involved in manufacture or trafficking," he said.

"SAPOL continues to target these criminals and their associates to disrupt their business and stop the flow of money and illegal goods that fuel this insidious business."

SA Network of Drug and Alcohol Services executive officer Andris Banders said marijuana remained the state's biggest drug problem and was far more widely used than other drugs seized.

"The volume of drugs the police seize has increased and that means the police are getting better at it or the amount of drugs being moved is getting greater, or the people supplying the drugs are worse at hiding it," he said.

Crime Commission chief John Lawler said organised crime groups used illicit drugs as an easy source of money "to the detriment of the Australian community - economically and socially".

The report went beyond the usual arrest and seizure data to identify market indicators and trends of the illegal drug trade.