24 industrial-scale labs dismantled in the largest-ever operation against synthetic drugs
Over the course of the investigation, authorities seized 1 000 tonnes of chemicals, potentially removing 300 tonnes of synthetic drugs from the EU drug market
A large-scale law enforcement action, conducted within the Europol-coordinated operation Fabryka, led to the dismantling of a criminal network operating across the European Union. On Friday, 16 January, coordinated efforts took place in Poland, as well as in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. These actions targeted a network suspected of importing a large quantity of precursors used for the production of synthetic drugs in labs across multiple countries. Additionally, the network engaged in money laundering activities to further its illicit operations. The year-long operation Fabryka involved law enforcement and judicial authorities from Belgium, Czechia, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain.
Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement authorities determined that the network may have imported over 1 000 tonnes of precursors -- enough to produce over 300 tonnes of synthetic drugs such as MDMA, amphetamine, and cathinone. The illegal activities are estimated to generate billions in criminal profits for the involved criminal networks. The criminal assets flow into the legal economy, creating significant risks of market distortion, unfair competition, and the systematic infiltration of legitimate businesses by organised crime.
The investigation commenced in 2024 based on intelligence shared by the Polish Police, specifically from the Drug Crime Unit of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Wrocław. The information supplied by the Lower Silesian police officers was pivotal in initiating the case and facilitating subsequent international cooperation within the taskforce. Between February 2025 and January 2026, over 20 action days were conducted, targeting connected criminal groups, their production facilities, and storage sites across Europe. The operation culminated in a coordinated action day against the alleged wholesale network responsible for importing and distributing precursor chemicals.
This network was responsible for the importation, repackaging, and distribution of precursors used in the production of synthetic drugs. The chemicals, sourced from China and India, entered the EU through various countries and were transported to Poland for repackaging and further distribution to illegal labs across the EU. Since the beginning of the investigation in 2024, Europol supported action days targeting different cells of the network as well as connected groups involved in lab production of synthetic drugs.
