The Policía Nacional have dismantled what they describe as the largest clandestine MDMA laboratory ever uncovered in Spain, following a carefully coordinated operation in the province of Tarragona.
The laboratory — equipped with sophisticated chemical processing equipment and large volumes of precursor substances — was discovered in a rural area used to conceal its location and scale. Police say the facility had the capacity to synthesize industrial quantities of MDMA, a potent psychoactive drug commonly known as ecstasy, used recreationally and often distributed through nightlife and festival circuits.
The bust came after an extensive surveillance and intelligence-gathering effort targeting a criminal network suspected of operating across several Spanish regions. Investigators believe the Tarragona facility functioned as the primary production hub, supplying a network of distributors throughout Catalonia and beyond.
During the raid, officers seized:
- Large quantities of MDMA in various stages of production
- Several industrial-size mixing and synthesis machines
- Chemical precursors classified as controlled substances
- Packaging materials consistent with large-scale trafficking
In a statement issued today, the Ministry of the Interior praised the operation as “a significant victory” in the fight against synthetic drug manufacturing in Spain, calling it “a serious blow to the criminal infrastructure supporting the illegal drug trade.”
At least two individuals have been arrested, including the suspected chemist behind the lab’s operations. Charges are expected to include drug trafficking, membership of a criminal organisation, and public health violations.
Authorities say further arrests could follow as the investigation expands. The site remains under police guard, with forensic teams continuing their examination of equipment and residue to trace connections to previous seizures.
The operation was led by the Policía Nacional’s Specialised and Violent Crime Unit (UDEV) and coordinated with local Tarragona officers and forensic chemical experts.
This discovery comes amid a broader surge in efforts across Spain and the EU to dismantle synthetic drug labs, particularly those linked to MDMA and amphetamines — substances that continue to dominate the European party drug market.
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