In 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation of the Polish Police (CBŚP) shut down 33 illegal mephedrone factories across Poland, as reported by Rzeczpospolita. In 2023, they closed 56 similar locations, and in the previous year, 42.
Polish version of "Breaking Bad": The rise of "cocaine for the poor" and the uderground labs
Criminals in Poland have shifted to producing "cocaine for the poor," referring to "crystals" like mephedrone, klefedrone, and klofedrone.
According to CBŚP experts, these substances offer strong stimulant effects at a significantly lower cost than traditional cocaine. Mephedrone wholesales for around 8,000 PLN per kg, whereas cocaine fetches much more, between 28,000 and 40,000 euros – according to Rzeczpospolita.
Polish chemists often lack specialized equipment and use cheap, makeshift apparatus imported from China or India. They establish their operations in old, abandoned farms, barns, or production halls of defunct companies. Mobile laboratories facilitate rapid relocation across Europe.
Why is synthetic drug production so profitable in Poland?
Partly due to lenient regulations that do not ban certain ingredients used in "crystals." Some substances are not on the list of banned substances, allowing producers of potentially deadly and addictive products to operate with impunity. A similar scenario unfolded years ago with producers of "legal highs," who adjusted their compositions to evade illegality.
No science teacher in Poland is able to earn net each month from full-time work at school as much as the market value of one kilogram of mephedrone.
(mp)