The joke has shown up on police department Facebook pages: Anyone in possession of methamphetamine or other illegal drugs should stop by the police station for testing because the drugs might somehow contain ebola.

Australian law enforcement agencies have discovered A$1.26bn of methylamphetamine hidden in imported boxes of silicon bra inserts and art supplies. It is the country’s largest haul of the illicit drug in its liquid form, officials said.

Efforts were continuing last night to try to determine what drugs were taken by a group of students who had to be hospitalised.