Europol supports operation against amphetamine producers

Europol has supported law enforcement authorities from Germany and the Netherlands in dismantling an international organised crime group suspected of operating multiple amphetamine production laboratories.

As part of an extensive investigation led by the German Krefeld Public Prosecutor’s Office and Mönchengladbach Police, officers from the North Rhine-Westphalia Police, as well as Polish and Dutch law enforcement conducted coordinated searches at ten locations in Germany and three in the Netherlands in the early hours of 15 July 2026. Several suspects were arrested during the operation.

Nine suspects of German and Dutch nationality

The investigation currently targets nine individuals of German and Dutch nationality, who are suspected of procuring precursor chemicals in quantities of several tonnes for the illegal production of amphetamine and of operating various amphetamine laboratories since 2025. During the searches, investigators seized numerous items of evidence, which are now being forensically examined.

In addition to searching the suspects’ residences, officers searched several suspected production sites, including two warehouses located in Kaldenkirchen and Niederkrüchten, Germany. In addition to Europol experts and the local fire and rescue service, the operation was supported on site by specialists from the Forensic Science Institute of the North Rhine-Westphalia Criminal Police Office.

Europol’s support

Europol provided analytical support throughout the investigation and hosted several operational meetings in-person and online. On the action day, two Europol drug lab dismantling experts supported national authorities in the field. This is a unique service deployed upon request to assist national specialists and provide on-site technical assistance, chemical detection and operation support. It is equipped with state-of-the-art detection tools and staffed by experts in chemical identification and lab safety.