Record find 3.2 tons of crystal meth seized in the port of Rotterdam

The Dutch authorities have seized a record 3.2 tons of methamphetamine with a street value of around 21.4 million Swiss francs at the port of Rotterdam.

As the public prosecutor's office announced on Thursday, customs officers discovered the huge quantity of the synthetic drug known as crystal meth at the beginning of March. It was in a shipment that had arrived in the port of Rotterdam from Mexico and was to be brought to the southern Dutch town of Den Hout.

It was "the largest seizure of crystal meth in the Netherlands to date", explained the public prosecutor's office. The drug was hidden in a "sandy substance that was heavily contaminated with copper and PFAS".

Contamination of the methamphetamine

The abbreviation PFAS stands for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds, a large group of synthetically produced molecules. They are known as "eternal chemicals" because they are practically indestructible and therefore accumulate in nature and in the human body.

Due to the contamination of the methamphetamine, it took four months for the authorities to find a way to safely destroy the confiscated drugs. The discovery has therefore only now been made public.

Backers wanted

A 55-year-old man was arrested in Den Hout in connection with the drug smuggling. He has since been released, but is still a suspect in the case, according to the public prosecutor's office.

Methamphetamines are similar to amphetamines, but are significantly stronger and more addictive. The drug, also known as "yaba" or "ice", is sold in the form of crystals, powder, capsules or tablets.