European synthetic drug ring smashed

European police said yesterday they had busted a major synthetic drug ring working across several countries in the “largest-ever operation” of its kind, striking a “massive blow” to organised crime.

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Authorities dismantled 24 industrial-scale labs and seized around 1,000 tonnes of chemicals used to make street drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine and meth.

"I've been in this business for a while. This is by far the largest-ever operation we did against synthetic drug production and distribution," Andy Kraag, head of Europol's European Serious Organised Crime Centre, told AFP in an interview.

"I think this is genuinely a massive blow to organised crime groups involved in drug trafficking, specifically of synthetic drugs," added Mr Kraag.