Breaking Bad in the Dutch countryside
30 May 2024
When you think of a Dutch landscape, windmills might come to mind. But for locals, there's something else that's becoming all too familiar: drug labs. Set up to produce synthetic drugs like MDMA and amphetamines or process cocaine, these illegal laboratories can be found all over the country. Last week, Dutch police said they busted a record number of these labs in 2023 – a total of 151.
The Netherlands is one the world’s largest producers and traders of drugs, facilitated by its easy access to transit routes and raw materials, long-standing expertise and a culture of tolerance. Many of these drug labs are located in rural areas near the port of Rotterdam, Europe’s busiest and largest sea port. They can often be found in hidden garages, abandoned buildings, or barns rented out by local farmers looking for quick cash.
Drug labs make local news almost every week; they use hazardous chemicals and produce tons of harmful waste which is then dumped in the countryside, sometimes thrown directly into rivers. The environmental damage is immense and mostly invisible, and cleaning up contaminated areas is costly and can take years. These labs have also caused explosions, fires and toxic leaks.
Most drugs from these labs are not for local consumption; more than 85% of drugs produced and processed in the Netherlands are exported. However, while the drugs leave, the problems remain. From waste dumping and money laundering to arson and liquidations, drug crime has infiltrated all spheres of Dutch society.
 | Nathan Domon The Netherlands faces the fallout of being Europe’s drug supermarket. Dutch police invest a lot of resources in fighting drug trafficking, with little to no impact on supply. With global drug demand rising, some are calling for an open debate on drug regulation, arguing that the global ‘war on drugs’ is counterproductive and only causes more problems at home. |
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