Europol announced the dismantling of a synthetic drug network, seizing 1,000 tons of chemical substances and arresting 85 suspects.

Europol has carried out the largest operation in history against organized crime, dismantling a major synthetic drug network operating in several European countries. Authorities destroyed 24 industrial laboratories and confiscated approximately 1,000 tons of chemicals used for producing drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine, and methamphetamine.

The operation, which lasted a year, involved police forces from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain, resulting in 85 arrests, including two Polish leaders of the network. The investigation began in 2024 when the Polish police noticed large imports of chemicals from China and India, which were subsequently repackaged and redistributed in the European Union. Kraag, the head of the European Organized Crime Center, emphasized the negative impact of drug production on health, the environment, and society. Authorities also confiscated 120,000 liters of toxic chemical waste, warning that criminals are polluting the environment. Europol continues to investigate other distribution networks.