International meth lab gang busted and whopping 3.3 million tablets seized

The operation took place across the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Slovakia in conjunction with criminal justice agency, Eurojust.

According to investigators, the gang used a Romanian company to purchase raw materials and incorporate them into two pharmaceutical products; 50 and 120 milligram tablets of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.

They then used a formula that allowed them to extract these chemicals for the production of methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories. One of the suspects was partner and director of the company involved.

The tablets produced in Romania were shipped to companies in several European countries but the drugs did not reach their declared destination, being subsequently sent to various locations in Poland.

From there, the shipments were split into smaller quantities and delivered to the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where they were distributed to hidden labs.

Using the 'Czech method' of producing methamphetamine, approximately 0.70 kg of methamphetamine was obtained from one kilogram of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine hydrochloride.

Between January 2021 and February 2023, the members of the criminal group allegedly organised the transport and delivery of 168, 788, 870 tablets containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (approximately 6.7 tonnes of ephedrine hydrochloride), from which a total quantity of at least 4.7 tonnes of methamphetamine could be produced.

During the joint action, at least 16 suspects were arrested.

In Poland, 3,184,500 pills containing ephedrine for a value of approximately €840,000 and 121,776 pills containing pseudoephedrine were seized. Additionally, cash in several currencies comprising of PLN 366,200, €177,215, $260 and CZK 1,400 was also seized.

A total of €148,163, CZK 711,082 and PLN 22,433 were seized from bank accounts in the Czech Republic. Cash was also found and seized during the searches.

In Slovakia, a whopping €1.12m was seized.