Law enforcement agencies have dismantled what they say was the largest illegal synthetic drug production facility ever discovered in Europe.
The drugs laboratory was found hidden on the grounds of a farm near Chimay in southern Belgium.
In a co-ordinated series of raids, and supported by the European policing agency Europol, police forces in Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland moved in on an organised crime gang that was suspected of running a major continental drugs production operation.
In total, 14 main suspects were arrested and, in Belgium alone, nine men and two women have been charged with possessing, manufacturing and trafficking drugs.
The suspects are from Belgium, Bulgaria and Poland.
One of those arrested by police in Belgium was believed to be the chemist, who was living in a concealed fitted-out apartment on the farm.
Europol described the illegal laboratory as unique due to the volume and capacity of the custom-made equipment that it used on its production line.
In addition to the drugs production equipment, a significant amount of drug precursors, essential chemicals and solvents used to make the drugs were seized.
This included several tonnes of the ecstasy precursor safrole, and around a tonne of crystal MDMA, one of the purer forms of ecstasy.
Europol has said that the equipment used by the gang was worth several hundred million euro alone.
Investigations into the gang are ongoing.
