Dutch police find ingredients for making 1 billion ecstasy pillsFebruary 10, 2017 - 18:34 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Dutch police probing a suspicious vehicle parked in a deserted parking lot found a huge stash of chemicals for producing an estimated one billion ecstasy pills, officials said Friday, February 10, according to AFP. "The truck-and-trailer most probably served as a storage facility for an ecstasy laboratory," a police statement said. Agents had on Thursday received a tip-off that a truck had been parked "for a while" in a parking lot in the country's southwest that was "hidden from the road". Inside, police discovered 100 bottles of hydrogen, 15 tonnes of caustic soda and 3,000 litres of excipients such as methylamine, acetone and dichloromethane, estimated to worth several hundreds-of-thousands of euros. Police did not mention arrests but have launched a probe to try and trace the truck's origin and destination, noting that it was registered in The Netherlands. Law enforcement officials have in recent years have stepped up their focus on the southern Dutch provinces of Zeeland, Noord Brabant and Limburg which have seen an influx of organised crime -- particularly drug gangs -- from other provinces. The region is close to Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, as well as to Antwerp in Belgium, both seen as major drug entry points into the continent. Last year, a European Union report said ecstasy, once the drug of choice at rave parties in the 1990s, is back in favour and finding a wider market this time around. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. |