The Tax Agency has dismantled in Madrid a laboratory dedicated to processing methamphetamines for its transformation into 'crystal', just as the protagonists of the 'Breaking Bad' series did.

In the operation 220 kilos of methamphetamine have been apprehended, which is one of the biggest apprehensions of this type of drug made in Spain, where it is not among the most common drugs, as it does in the US. Precisely the operation has been coordinated with the US customs authorities and it has arrested the person responsible for the manufacture of narcotic substances.

Customs Surveillance officials of the Tax Agency in Madrid located two homes of the organization in the Madrid neighborhood of Vallecas, despite the security measures used by the criminal organization, which monitored the movements of people in the area. In one of those floors was the laboratory and the other was used for the distribution of the drug.

Once the house that could house the laboratory was located, and extreme caution in monitoring the area, the researchers took advantage of the arrival in Spain of a shipment of methamphetamine from the United States to start the entry operation. At this point, and in order to avoid the destruction of the evidence, the receiver was arrested before he was reintroduced into the dwelling.

With the corresponding judicial authorization the floor was registered, finding inside drug already made, remains of methamphetamines and the necessary equipment for its elaboration. Up to 100 kilos of chemical substances used to process the product were also found, such as hydrochloric acid, toluene, acetone and caustic soda; all in industrial boats.

The storage of these products in a private home and their handling without the corresponding safety measures is dangerous and could cause fires.

Drug hidden in bricks

The investigated organization introduced methamphetamine in Spain by air, hidden in shipments of construction bricks, using various delivery addresses to avoid possible controls by researchers. The merchandise originated in Mexico and was sent to the United States for later introduction in Spain, so the investigation has been coordinated with the customs authorities of the United States (HSI).

The operation deployed by Customs Surveillance officials has also had the participation of the Central Customs Laboratory of the Tax Agency.

In the operation a person has been arrested - the person responsible for the processing of the drug -, a total of 220 kilos of methamphetamines and about 100 kilos of substances have been intervened for processing, as well as those useful for mixtures, bags and a scale where they prepared the doses.

The price of methamphetamine in the black market would have reached an approximate figure of 8,800,000 euros (about 40 euros per gram).

The 'crystal' is a highly addictive and very potent substance that causes serious damage to the nervous and neuronal system of the consumer.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Spain
  • U.S
  • Madrid
  • Vallecas
  • Tax agency
  • Mexico

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