In a sweeping operation across Europe, authorities have dismantled a major synthetic drug ring, seizing vast quantities of chemicals and готовой продукции, including MDMA. The international effort, dubbed "Operation Fabryka," involved law enforcement agencies from several countries, including Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Spain. Europol coordinated the year-long investigation, which culminated in coordinated raids on January 16.
The operation struck a "massive blow" to organized crime, according to Andy Kraag, head of Europol’s European Serious Organised Crime Centre. Authorities shut down 24 industrial-scale laboratories and apprehended 85 suspects, including alleged ringleaders. Nineteen of the arrests occurred in Poland. The suspects face a range of charges, including organized crime involvement, large-scale drug production, and money laundering.
The scale of the operation is unprecedented. Law enforcement confiscated approximately 1,000 tons of chemicals, enough to produce an estimated 300 tons of synthetic drugs destined for the European market. In addition, authorities seized over 3.5 tonnes and 982 litres of drugs, including MDMA, amphetamine oil, 4-CMC, and cathinone. Assets seized included around €500,000 in cash, vehicles, real estate valued at approximately €2.5 million, and over 120,000 litres of toxic chemical waste. Polish police estimate that for every euro spent on production, traffickers made approximately 30 euros in profit. Europol believes the criminal network could have generated billions of euros in illegal profits.
The investigation began in 2022, when Polish police in Wrocław started investigating the import and sale of drug-making chemicals. Investigators discovered that the criminal organization used legitimate companies, primarily based in Poland, to import vast quantities of chemicals from China and India. While these substances have legitimate uses in industries like pharmaceuticals, the sheer volume far exceeded normal industrial demand. The chemicals were then repackaged, mislabeled, and distributed to illicit laboratories across the EU.
Authorities say this operation has choked off the supply chain of one of the biggest distributors of synthetic drugs in Europe. In addition to the immediate impact on drug trafficking, the dismantling of these labs has significant environmental benefits. Criminals often dump toxic chemical waste, causing substantial pollution. By seizing over 120,000 liters of toxic waste, authorities have prevented potential environmental damage.
