Ecstasy scratch-and-smell cards delivered to Flevoland homes

Three thousand households in the outskirts of Flevoland will soon receive a scratch-and-smell card with the smell of an ecstasy lab on it. The card is part of an information package aimed at teaching locals how to recognize ecstasy labs, Omroep Flevoland reports.

Organized crime is increasingly common in the outskirts of Flevoland, where the police are finding more and more drug labs, cannabis farms, and drug waste dumped in natural areas, according to the broadcaster.

The outlying areas of the province are extensive and sparsely populated, making extensive patrols and supervision difficult, according to the Central Netherlands Security Coalition, which is distributing the information packages. The coalition hopes that knowing what an ecstasy lab smells like, will help locals notice the scent if it pops up in their neighborhood.

Zeewolde mayor Gerrit Jan Groter called on locals to be vigilant. "If you go to an agricultural company, you roughly know what it should smell like. If you smell a scent that does not fit, that may be a signal."

The information package contains the scratch-and-smell card, information about suspicions situations, and contact details for the authorities' anonymous tip line. The scratch card was developed by the Public Prosecution Service last year.

The Central Netherlands Security Coalition consists of municipalities, police, and agricultural organization LTO Noord, all dedicated to combating organized crime in the area.