ACT Policing's Detective Sergeant Shane Scott said local businesses had been warned against selling illegal substances that mimic the effects of drugs such as cocaine or ecstasy with dangerous consequences.

''Effects can vary,'' he said. ''There's been at least one death this year associated with synthetic drugs this year in NSW and another number of incidents where people have been severely affected and needed hospitalisation.''

Seventeen-year-old Henry Kwan plunged to his death from a balcony earlier this year after consuming an LSD substitute he had bought online. It is believed its effects contributed to his death.

If found guilty of selling the illegal substances, individuals could face up to two years imprisonment while businesses could be fined up to $50,000 or face five years imprisonment.

Detective Sergeant Scott said ignorance was no defence for people selling synthetic drugs.

''They don't often know what they're selling,'' he said. ''If you don't know, don't risk.''

ACT Policing seized a number of illegal products valued at $20,000 earlier this year, following a report into the availability of synthetic drugs published by Fairfax Media.

Detective Sergeant Scott said a product known as ''bath salts, the zombie drug'' had also been found hidden within a mug sent into Canberra one month ago.

He said the chemical compositions of the synthetic drugs changed on a daily basis as manufacturers attempted to get around legislation. ''This is a new and emerging thing for Australia and all law enforcement jurisdictions are having the same problem,'' he said.

Australian Customs and Border Protection director of targeted operations Neil Sugget said the detection rate of illegal goods coming into the ACT was increasing. ''In the last 12 months, there have been 325 detections of various types and amounts of drugs ranging from cocaine through to precursors and synthetics,'' he said.