ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 9 — Russian police, with support from the National Guard, raided an illegal drug production site in the Leningrad Oblast and detained two local residents suspected of manufacturing synthetic methadone, local authorities said on Monday.
According to the regional department of the Russian Interior Ministry, officers seized about 25 kg of packaged powdered substances, nearly six kg of chemical precursors, dozens of containers filled with liquids, and a large amount of specialized laboratory equipment during the operation.
Investigators said the 42-year-old primary suspect, acting as the chief chemist, and his 48-year-old accomplice had set up the illegal laboratory last November inside an unfinished building in the Anninskoye urban settlement of the Lomonosovsky district.
The facility was reportedly used to produce methadone for subsequent distribution. During the raid, police seized three containers holding over 5.7 kg of precursors, a 50-liter barrel, a chemical reactor of similar capacity, and numerous canisters and bottles containing chemical substances.
They also confiscated laboratory glassware, a vacuum pump, a magnetic stirrer, electronic scales, and personal protective equipment. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
