DUTCH POLICE BREAK UP SYNTHETIC DRUG OPERATION

AMSTERDAM, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Dutch police said on Wednesday they had
broken up a multi-million dollar operation that produced synthetic
drugs and supplied chemicals to other illegal laboratories across
Europe.

The operation, which acted as a legitimate chemical supplier, may be
the largest catch in Europe of synthetic drug producers, Dutch media
reported.

Dutch police arrested four people in simultaneous raids on 12
locations in the Netherlands and in near the Belgian town of Leuven.

"The company acted as if it were an ordinary chemicals maker. For the
outside world it presented itself as a legallly acceptable firm, but
we have the strong suspicion they didn't have a single customer that
was legally acceptable," prosecutor J. Pieters told Dutch television.

The company produced synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and
maintained its own research laboratory to develop new designer drugs.

It operated as a "cash and carry" operation for other illegal drug
manufacturers, police said, supplying chemicals from its operations at
the Amsterdam port.

The head of the organisation, a 42-year old resident of Amsterdam
identified only by the initials R.H., had gained notority in the
Netherlands for his campaign to legalise certain synthetic drugs,
police said.

The group faces a laundry list of drugs charges as well as possible
prosecution for illegally dumping chemical waste.