SPAIN'S LARGEST DRUG FACTORY DISMANTLED
Run by two expats and four Spanish nationals in the Marina Alta
THE largest synthetic drugs factory and distribution net- work in Spain has been discovered in the Marina Alta by Guardia Civil.
The huge police operation saw searches of two houses and the laboratories, in the towns of Teulada, Benissa and Lliber - plus links to Benidorm
GUARDIA Civil has dismantled the largest synthetic drugs factory in Spain, led by a criminal organisation that developed and distributed them in the Marina Alta.
Five searches were carried out and six people have been arrested, four of Spanish nationality and another two of Belgian nationality.
The investigation began last year on a criminal organisation based in the area, which was dedicated to the distribution of large quantities of narcotic substances throughout Spain, mainly heroin.
After numerous police efforts, both nationally and internationally against the organisation, it was found that one of the members of the gang had established contact with another separate group who would be responsible for the supply of crystal meth - a synthetic drug - in order to expand their catalogue of products for their users.
Although the relationship between both criminal gangs did not come to fruition, it helped the officres started a new line of investigation around the other organisation, who found they were operating from Lliber, Teulada and Benissa.
The development and progress of the investigation, together with surveillance work on the supposed members of the gang allowed them to locate the laboratory where different synthetic drugs were being made. It was found in a kind of garage-bunker, which was halfburied and had the appearance of farm machinery storage barn. It was located a few metres from the home of one of the main members of the group, in a plot of land far enough away from other homes so as not to be detected.
Parallel to the location of the drugs factory, and with the main members of the organisation identified, it was found that one of the investigated men had acquired 2kg of speed in Benidorm, a drug he intended to sell after purifying it in the laboratory.
As a result of this, a police operation commenced in order to carry out the first phase of the investigation, which led the Guardia to two houses and the laboratory, in the towns of Teulada, Benissa and Lliber.
Many of the substances found presented a high degree of toxicity and flammability - such as methanol - to which variations of humidity, pressure and thermal or mechanical changes can alter explosive properties, so specialists from Europol were called in to safely dismantle the laboratory.
In this first phase, four people were arrested, two Spanish and two Belgians, who were charged with crimes of belonging to a criminal organisation and crimes against public health.
In a second phase, two other Spanish men were arrested in Teulada in houses used by the organisation to hide and store different substances used to manufacture the crystal meth.
During the operation, 432kg of MDMA, 332kg amphetamines, 527kg of Piperonyl Methyl Ketone (the main ingredient of MDMA), 1,742kg of other ingredients and 5,212kg of different substances for the production of crystal meth; all valued at more than €100 million were seized.
Under optimal operating conditions, the now dismantled laboratory could have been making up to 5kg of crystal meth per day.
This operation was carried out between the organised crime unit of Alicante, the Guardia Civil, and police authorities from the Netherlands and Europol.