As well as 140 kilos of mephedrone, four kilos of amphetamine, several hundred gram measures of marijuana and a dozen kilos of drugs in the final stages of production were also recovered in the raid.
Those detained include four Dutchmen and a Pole, all aged between 21 and 38. The men were hauled before the District Prosecutor’s Office in Grójec, central Poland, where they were charged with producing and possessing significant amounts of psychotropic substances.
If found guilty, the men could face up to 20 years in prison.
The raid targeted an outbuilding on a fruit farm and was conducted by local detectives supported by officers from nearby Radom.
A statement on the police force’s website said that the bust had taken the men by “complete surprise”.
“As it turned out, they had prepared for such a situation and had several automatic weapons with ammunition,” said a police spokeswoman, adding that, fortunately, none of those arrested had time to reach for their guns.
According to the police, the drugs had a street value of several million złotys.
Colloquially known in the West as M-Cat or Meow-Meow, mephedrone was once sold openly in Poland in packages that described it as ‘plant fertilizer’, ‘mustache glue’, ‘Christmas tree decorations’ and other colorfully deceptive titles.
Although outlawed in 2009, it has continued to enjoy popularity among those looking for a cheaper alternative to cocaine.
