European police dismantled 24 industrial-scale synthetic drug labs in a coordinated cross-border operation called Operation Fabryka, carried out across Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Authorities arrested 85 people, searched 100 sites and seized about $14.6 million in real estate plus more than 1,100 tons of chemical precursors—enough to produce over 330 tons of MDMA, amphetamine and cathinone. Europol warned the networks likely generated billions in illicit profits and risked infiltrating the legitimate economy.
Europol Dismantles 24 Industrial-Scale Synthetic Drug Labs in Major Cross-Border Sting
Europol said the seized chemicals were enough to produce more than 330 tons of drugs including MDMA, amphetamine and cathinone. Photo courtesy of Europol
European law enforcement announced a major breakthrough in the fight against synthetic drug production after dismantling 24 industrial-scale laboratories in a coordinated operation across four countries.
Operation Fabryka—carried out Friday by authorities in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland—capped a yearlong investigation into imports of chemical precursors used to manufacture synthetic drugs. The probe also involved law enforcement partners in the Czech Republic and Spain.
During the operation, officers arrested 85 people (20 of them on the day of the raids), searched 100 locations and seized real estate valued at about $14.6 million. Investigators confiscated more than 1,100 tons of chemical precursors, along with large quantities of toxic chemical waste, marijuana plants and other illicit substances.
The volume of seized precursors is sufficient to produce in excess of 330 tons of finished drugs, including MDMA, amphetamine and cathinone—underscoring the industrial scale of the network’s activity.
“The illegal activities are estimated to generate billions in criminal profits for the involved criminal networks,” a Europol release said. “The criminal assets flow into the legal economy, creating significant risks of market distortion, unfair competition and the systematic infiltration of legitimate businesses by organized crime.”
Europol said the criminal network behind the operation was predominantly Polish, with some Belgian and Dutch nationals implicated. Authorities said investigations are ongoing to trace the supply chains, financial flows and any further links to organised crime groups across Europe.
What’s next: Prosecutors and police in the affected countries will continue forensic analysis of seized chemicals and financial records, and follow-up arrests and asset seizures are expected as the investigation develops.
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