Ketamine cache worth 55 million euros seized in the Netherlands
Kyiv • UNN
Dutch police have seized two tons of ketamine worth almost 55 million euros from a house in Muderberg, east of Amsterdam.
The Dutch police have uncovered the "largest ever" consignment of ketamine worth tens of millions of euros. This is reported by the BBC with reference to the local police, UNN writes.
Details
Dozens of boxes containing two tons of drugs were found in a shed in Gugwege, in the Muiderberg district, east of Amsterdam.
A 55-year-old man who lived in the house was arrested.
According to police estimates, the total "street" value of the seized batch is almost €55 million (£47.2 million).
"This is the largest amount of ketamine ever found in the Netherlands," the police said in a statement.
They also found a stockpile of hard drugs, which, along with ketamine, were seized and destroyed, law enforcement officials said.
Addendum
Under Dutch law, ketamine is not illegal, but it cannot be traded or possessed without registration. Trading without registration carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison.
Police claim that ketamine trafficking is often "accompanied by other forms of crime, such as money laundering and weapons possession.
According to the BBC, the extensive transportation network of the Netherlands, liberal drug laws and penalties, and proximity to a number of lucrative markets have created favorable conditions for the drug trade to flourish in the country.
Ketamine is often referred to as a "party drug" because of its hallucinogenic effects. It can cause serious harm to the body and even lead to death.