The unnamed 29-year-old from Warsaw, was seized on Wednesday in Lower Austria’s Waldviertel region where, according to local gossip, he had been producing and distributing hard drugs.

Stefan Pfander, head of the Lower Austrian State Office of Criminal Investigation, told news outlet Kurier.at: “We are still at the very beginning of our investigations, but there was an arrest warrant from the Krems public prosecutor's office.”

The diocese of St. Pölten, where the priest has worked for five years, said in a statement: “The priest was immediately relieved of his duties in the diocese of St. Pölten and forbidden from any pastoral work.

“Since he is a priest of the archdiocese of Warsaw, the responsible archbishop was immediately informed, who will take further steps.”