On 17 January 2019, acting on the orders of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Bolesławiec, officers from the Bolesławiec County Police Headquarters arrested four people and searched several properties in Jelenia Góra, Bolesławiec and other localities in Jelenia Góra and Bolesławiec counties.

A production line for the synthesis of methamphetamine was discovered and dismantled in a building located in Bolesławiec County. Numerous chemical substances and items of equipment used to produce drugs were found and secured at the site.

During the searches—both in the building housing the production facility and on properties occupied by the suspects—a total of nearly one million tablets containing pseudoephedrine, essential for producing the drug, were secured. Numerous empty packages from such medicines were also discovered.

Nearly two kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 80 grams of marijuana were also secured.

The Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Jelenia Góra:

Numerous experts in biology, fingerprint examination and chemistry were appointed in the case.

It was established that a total of nearly 7.992 kilograms of methamphetamine had been produced at the dismantled factory, and that an additional 36 kilograms of the drug had been attempted. The operation continued from October 2018 to January 2019.

Investigators: “As security for potential financial penalties, property belonging to the suspects worth PLN 876,000 was also seized. This included approximately PLN 250,000 in cash, as well as various items of equipment worth more than PLN 270,000, including Porsche and Mercedes vehicles. Properties belonging to two suspects were also secured by establishing compulsory mortgages on them for a total amount of PLN 350,000.”

The accused were charged with producing a significant quantity of a psychotropic substance in the form of methamphetamine—7.992 kilograms—and attempting to produce 36 kilograms of the drug.

The perpetrators made the operation a permanent source of income. Two of them were also charged with possessing significant quantities of psychotropic substances and narcotic drugs. One had more than 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly 90 grams of marijuana, while the other had more than 33 grams of methamphetamine.

The men pleaded not guilty.

At the request of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Bolesławiec, following the suspects’ arrests, they were placed in pre-trial detention. The Court of Appeal in Wrocław later changed this preventive measure to non-custodial measures: bail of PLN 30,000 for each suspect, police supervision and a travel ban.

The suspects are residents of Bolesławiec and one locality in Jelenia Góra County, aged between 37 and 48. The men had previously been convicted of various offenses, including crimes against life and health or property, illegal possession of firearms and fiscal offenses. One of them had already served a prison sentence and is therefore subject to the conditions of recidivism.

The alleged offenses carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years.