Police break up largest synthetic drug lab in Russia

Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Authorities said Tuesday they have raided Russia's largest synthetic drug lab, located on a farm outside of Moscow that officials say produced 1.5 tons of narcotics every month.

The Russian Interior Ministry said the drugs produced inside the clandestine lab's reactors were worth up to $7,800 each. Authorities arrested three people at the lab, which is located in the city of Serpukhov.

"The operations of an illegal laboratory to produce synthetic drugs, the biggest in the past several years, have been stopped," ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said.

"Production facilities were located in buildings of a former farming enterprise, on a total area of around four hectares."

During the raid, authorities seized 220 pounds of crystallized drugs, 1.5 tons of drugs in liquid form, four tons of chemical reagents, more than 1,300 pounds of precursors and seven chemical reactors.