Belgian police report USD 1.75 billion drug bust

The Belgian prosecutor's office says a three-nation investigation has led to one of the biggest seizures of synthetic drugs in Europe, a haul of core products to create Ecstasy pills with a street value of 1.3 billion euros (USD 1.75 billion).
The prosecutor's office said today that after 30 raids in Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland, 11 people were under arrest charged with possession, production and trading in drugs as part of a criminal gang. Most of the products were discovered in a Brussels suburban garage and a farm in southern Belgium.
Spokewoman Wenke Roggen said it was the biggest such bust ever in Belgium and one of the largest in Europe.

Products seized included about 1,000 kilograms of MDMA and 18.5 tons of Ecstasy precursor safrole.