Drugs worth over 10 million Euro secured

MDMA production highlighted - Drugs worth over 10 million Euro secured

Customs officials near the Dutch border have raided a drug lab and secured nearly 200 kg of synthetic drugs worth 10.4 million Euro. This is the largest MDMA lab discovered in the last 23 years, according to the prosecutor's office in Aachen and the Customs Investigation Office in Essen.

Customs officers searched a 500 square meter lab in a hall in Hückelhoven, in the western part of North Rhine-Westphalia (Heinsberg district), and a storage facility in Nettetal (Viersen district) in May. They found approximately 200 kg of MDMA, around 6500 liters of chemicals, and over 130,000 Euro in cash. The measures and securities lasted for six days due to the regulations regarding the handling of chemicals and the enormous size of the drug lab.

According to Customs and the prosecutor's office, about 1.340.000 Ecstasy tablets with a street value of over 10.4 million Euro could have been produced from the secured MDMA - a stimulant substance. The spokesperson for the Customs Investigation Office further stated that, based on current knowledge, several tons of MDMA were produced in this highly professional lab.

A 57-year-old German suspect was arrested on site and is currently in custody. A 59-year-old German was arrested in Schwalmtal (Viersen district), and further evidence was secured. The 59-year-old was later released.

In mid-July, searches were then carried out at six further locations in the Netherlands and Belgium. A 56-year-old Dutch national was arrested. An international arrest warrant is still out for a 54-year-old Belgian national.

1. The drug lab in Hückelhoven, Germany, was operating on a large scale, producing significant amounts of synthetic drugs.
2. The Public Prosecutor's Office in Aachen and the Customs Investigation Office in Essen are closely monitoring the case involving the synthesized drugs discovered in Hückelhoven.
3. Despite the arrest of a 57-year-old German suspect and a 59-year-old German, an international arrest warrant remains active for a 54-year-old Belgian national associated with the drug lab in North Rhine-Westphalia.
4. The Dutch-Belgian connection in this case extended to the Netherlands, where searches were conducted at six locations and a 56-year-old Dutch national was arrested.
5. The drug lab in Hückelhoven, located in the Heinsberg district, had a storage facility in Nettetal, another district in North Rhine-Westphalia, which was also raided by customs officials.
6. The criminality related to the drug lab in Hückelhoven has taken a foursome of suspects into custody and has drawn the attention of law enforcement agencies in multiple countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands.

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