Extensive Cleanup Underway After Major Drug Lab Discovery in Nauen Warehouse

Authorities in Nauen, Brandenburg, are undertaking a significant cleanup operation following the recent discovery of a large-scale illegal drug laboratory inside a rented warehouse. The site, located in an industrial area, was found to contain substantial quantities of chemicals, finished narcotics, and waste materials, making decontamination and evidence collection a complex and prolonged process.

Specialized teams from customs investigations and the fire department, equipped with protective gear and gas masks, are systematically cataloguing and removing hazardous substances. An official from the Berlin-Brandenburg Customs Investigation Office stated that the process involves careful sampling and distinction between substances needed for legal proceedings and those suitable for disposal. The timeline for completing the cleanup remains open-ended, with safety and preservation of evidence as the highest priorities.

The operation follows a coordinated raid by approximately 150 law enforcement personnel, including customs and federal police, who searched the warehouse after prolonged investigations. During the operation, authorities confiscated around 100 kilograms of finished synthetic drugs and several tons of precursor chemicals believed to be used in drug manufacturing. In addition, over 200,000 euros in cash were seized at the scene.

Two suspects, aged 41 and 50, were apprehended near the warehouse. Their potential involvement is under judicial review, with prosecutors seeking detention orders. Investigators believe the complexity and scale of the operation suggest the involvement of additional individuals, and further inquiries are ongoing to determine the full extent of the network.

The leader of the operation from the customs investigation team described the facility as unprecedented in size and noted that large volumes of chemical waste and debris were dispersed throughout the warehouse and adjacent garages. The site was cluttered with containers of waste, and half the facility was reportedly filled with discarded materials. This scale of operation has not been previously encountered in the region by the investigative team.

Initial analysis has identified the seized narcotics as 3-CMC and 4-CMC, both classified as amphetamine-type stimulants commonly associated with party drug use. Alongside the processed drugs, numerous chemical substances required for synthesis were found, further indicating the industrial nature of the production process.

This case highlights a growing trend of synthetic drug production in the areas surrounding Berlin, attributed to the city's vibrant nightlife and demand for stimulants. Investigators note that criminal groups increasingly choose outlying regions for clandestine laboratories, taking advantage of lower property costs and relative seclusion compared to the capital. Recent months have seen similar discoveries, including a professional drug lab dismantled earlier in the year in Brielow, Brandenburg, where significant quantities of amphetamines and related substances were also seized.

The current operation in Nauen underscores ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat illegal drug manufacturing in Brandenburg and the Berlin metropolitan area. The case remains under investigation by the Frankfurt (Oder) public prosecutor's office, with a focus on dismantling the broader network involved in the production and distribution of synthetic drugs.