drug lab

Dutch drug criminals are increasingly involved in making crystal meth. Over the past year, 10 crystal meth laboratories were dismantled in the Netherlands. "A few years ago, we hardly ever saw it", a police spokesperson said to NRC, calling 2018 a "turning point" in the production of meth.

Criminal organizations have approached 15 percent of Dutch farmers to offer them money in exchange for free-standing sheds or stalls so that a drug lab can be built there, Trouw reports based on a poll conducted by Geleen Consultancy. 

The number of farmers approached by criminals in this way may well be higher, as some may be afraid to admit this. The police believe the number may be as high as 3 out of 5 farmers, according to the newspaper.

Crime in Amsterdam fell by 5 percent in 2017 compared to the year before. There were fewer cases of pickpockets, muggings, and violent threats, but the number of home burglaries and robberies increased. Nationwide crime is steadily declining,  according to figures the National Police will publish on Thursday, the Volkskrant reports. 

A drug lab was found in a garage behind a home on Brederolaan in Etten-Leur on Monday morning. Two people, a man and a woman, were arrested, a police spokesperson confirmed to NU.nl.

A large hole was dug into the floor of the garage, according to BN De Stem. Local residents told the newspaper that this hole was a recent addition - a container of sand was recently driven away. Exactly what the hole was used for, is not clear.

The police dismantled a drug lab in a residential area of Geldrop, Noord-Brabant on Wednesday. The resident of the house was caught in the act of producing ecstasy pills in a shed behind his house when the police raided the property. The man, his wife and his son were all arrested, the police said in a statement.

Officers found 18 thousand ecstasy pills and 20 kilograms of MDMA, which is used in drug production, on the property. Another 10 kilos of ecstasy was found in a garage box used for storage. 

Two leading members of motorcycle gang No Surrender were arrested in SWAT team raids in The Hague and Pijnacker early on Tuesday morning. They were arrested in connection with an attempted assassination in Ridderkerk in November last year, the Telegraaf reports.

On Thursday morning the police and tax investigative authority FIOD raided a warehouse on Industrieweg in Nieuwegein. Inside the authorities found raw materials for the establishment of a drug lab, AD reports.

The police also found a large quantity of bags containing potassium carbonate and a number of colored barrels with unknown content, according to the newspaper. As far as is known, no arrests were made.

An employee of a car dealership across the street told AD that the warehouse had been empty for some time.

CDA treasurer in Leende Wim van der P. denies that he is involved with a major drug lab discovered in a warehouse at his home last week. On Wednesday the 51-year-old man said that he rented the warehouse out and that he is just as shocked and surprised by the discovery of the drug lab as everyone else, ANP reports.

Carnival group De Lolmaakers in Leende decided not to participate in this year's carnival parades on Saturday. On Thursday the police discovered a massive drug lab on the property where they were building their float. As they are not allowed on the crime scene, De Lolmakers won't be able to finish their float in time for the parade.

What the police describe as a "professional drug lab" was discovered in the stables of an abandoned farming business in the Noord-Brabant town of Maarheeze on Wednesday. A 46-year-old man was arrested.

The police have found 55 kilograms of ecstasy,various products related to the manufacture of the drug as well as 200 thousand euros in cash on a site on Slesignerstraat in Brunssum.