Police seize entire laboratory: More than a ton of designer drug seized
Riga (Latvia) - Police in Latvia have busted the drug lab of an international gang.
According to the Latvian police chief Armands Ruks, this is the largest facility for the production of synthetic drugs that has ever been discovered in the EU country.
According to the authorities, illegal substances with a market value of at least 400 million euros were seized in the building near the town of Aluksne, the police in Riga announced.
A total of eight non-Latvian nationals aged between 24 and 35 were arrested during the operation.
The months-long investigation was reportedly supported by the European police authority Europol.
More than one tonne of the designer drug Clephedrone and over 38,000 liters of chemical liquids intended for the production of narcotics were seized.
The necessary laboratory equipment was also discovered in the house.
Designer drug Clephedrone: one gram costs 20 to 25 euros
According to the authorities, the narcotics were not destined for the Latvian market, but presumably for other European countries such as Scandinavia or the neighboring states of Russia and Belarus.
The street value of a gram of such drugs is around 20 to 25 euros.