Lead-contaminated opium likely from Iran

A bad batch of opium responsible for the serious lead poisoning of several Australians was likely imported from Iran, the NSW government says.

Australian border officers, federal police and state health departments are on alert after two people were poisoned in Victoria earlier this month while another opium user in western Sydney was hospitalised in April.

A NSW Health spokeswoman told AAP on Thursday it was likely the opium was imported from Iran where there has been a spate of lead poisonings since 2016.