Spanish police say they have excavated “the largest cocaine lab in Europe”. The laboratory in the Galician province of Pontevedra in the northwest of the country, not far from the border with Portugal, was working around the clock, producing some 200 kilograms of ready-to-use cocaine hydrochloride per day, the “Policía Nacional” reported on Thursday. The facility was run by drug dealers from Mexico and Colombia.
A total of 18 people, many of them South Americans, were arrested during 14 house searches in four regions of Spain – Galicia, Madrid, the Basque Country and the Canary Islands. They were all taken into custody. In addition, 1.3 tons of cocaine paste and 151 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride were seized in collaboration with the Portuguese police.
“Ultimately Important Strike”
In Europe, so much cocaine paste has never been seized in a single operation, Antonio Duarte, head of the National Police’s anti-drug unit, told journalists. He spoke of a “most important blow” against the drug trade in Europe. As part of the investigation, which began in October, 17 properties and numerous accounts were blocked, among other things.
The strike against the drug mafia has since confirmed a new trend, it says: less and less ready-made medicines are being exported. Chemical processing in European laboratories is increasing to save costs. This is partly due to the fact that the value of the lost goods is significantly lower when the authorities in Europe seize actions.
Source: Krone
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