A man jailed by police in Australia has been released after the police found his crystal meth to be nothing more than salt.

The man, from Maryborough, Queensland, had been imprisoned for four months while his meth was being tested by the forensics teams, after the police had found the supposed drug in the man's car.

But the police were forced to release the prisoner and drop all charges after the methylamphetamine was discovered to be nothing more than regular Epsom bath salt.

Travis George, the defendant's lawyer,  claimed that the lengthy detention period may have been due to his client’s prior convictions.

The blunder drawn further criticism of Queensland’s Health’s Forensic and Scientific Services, who have already been under fire for delays in the speed of its forensic tests.

A Maryborough magistrate, John Smith, said: ‘For the last 14 years nothing has been done [about delays]. Once again the government needs to have a look at what they are doing in relation to this.’

Via Metro