MORE than 2100 ecstasy tablets were found in a rental car during a dramatic swoop by drug police on the Bruce Highway south of Cairns.

The Holden Commodore sedan was stopped and searched just north of Babinda on Monday afternoon following a tip-off.

The tablets, (pictured right) worth more than $50,000, were found inside the car.

Acting Det Insp Brad Eaton said each tablet had a street value of about $25.

"Our investigations are ongoing to try and identify the source," he said.

A Cairns man, 26, has been charged with possession of a dangerous drug and will appear in Cairns Magistrates' Court next month.

This week's haul comes after Far Northern police last year seized more than 2000 ecstasy pills during a six-month covert drug operation dubbed Foxtrot Size. More than 30 people were arrested as part of that sting.

Acting Det Insp Eaton said police wanted to alert people to the dangers of ecstasy and other amphetamines which often were produced in dirty backyard laboratories.

"You give it a fun name like ecstasy and people believe the hype," he said.

"There is the misconception that party drugs are harmless but they are dangerous because they contain ingredients such as sulphuric and hydrochloric acid and caustic soda.

"They (users) don’t know the purity of these drugs because they develop them in a clandestine setting.

"The quality control is not there and you do get bad batches on the street every now and then."

He said Far Northern police would continue cracking down on producers, suppliers and even casual users of illegal synthetic drugs.

Anyone with information about illegal drug activities can call the Far Northern Drug Squad on 4030 7109 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.