The key facts
- More than 500 kg of methamphetamine, over 300 kg of amphetamine, about 4.5 kg of 3-CMC and more than 3,000 liters of BMK were seized — over 4 million doses
- The wholesale value of the batch is estimated at more than €2 million, and up to ten times higher on the street
- The organizer — a Dutch citizen of Turkish origin — and three Lithuanian citizens were detained
The largest laboratory in the Baltic region
Lithuanian authorities reported the discovery of one of the largest synthetic drug laboratories in the Baltics. The laboratory was located near Vilnius and, according to the investigation, operated under the direction of a Dutch citizen of Turkish origin. Deputy head of the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau Saulius Briginas said at a briefing on Wednesday that the drugs were produced 'on an almost industrial scale.' In addition to the organizer, according to the investigation, three Lithuanian citizens were involved in the laboratory's activities.
Scale of seizures
According to preliminary data, police seized more than 3,000 liters of BMK — a chemical precursor used in the production of amphetamines, more than 500 kg of methamphetamine, more than 300 kg of amphetamine and about 4.5 kg of the synthetic cathinone 3-CMC. According to Briginas's calculations, this amounts to over 4 million single doses. 'On the wholesale illegal market, the drugs would have been worth more than €2 million,' he noted. 'At street level, the value could be ten times higher.' Lithuanian authorities believe that such volumes could not have been intended only for the Lithuanian market: the operation, in their view, was aimed at markets across Europe, including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
Supply and logistics
The investigation also revealed industrial-scale purchases of chemicals for the production of synthetic drugs. The group purchased laboratory equipment and chemical substances in China, India and several European countries, and bought part of the uncontrolled substances from specialized suppliers in Lithuania. 380 hydrogen cylinders from China were found in the laboratory; hydrogen is used in the production of synthetic drugs. Sulfuric acid, according to reports, was purchased in batches of one ton per transaction. The operation extended beyond the laboratory itself: police intercepted a shipment intended for the Czech Republic, discovering 17 kg of amphetamine crystals in two plastic containers inside cargo handled by a Lithuanian logistics company.
Liability
Under Lithuanian law, crimes related to the illegal production, storage and smuggling of particularly large quantities of narcotic or psychotropic substances are punishable by imprisonment for up to 18 years.
