Greece arrests two men suspected of MDMA, crystal meth smuggling to Australia

ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s anti-drug authorities have arrested two Greek men suspected of being part of a transnational crime ring exporting crystal meth and MDMA to Australia, police said.

Police seized about 56 kg of the psychedelic drug MDMA, the main ingredient of ecstasy pills, and nearly 30 kg of methamphetamine, also known by its street name of ice or crystal meth, in one of Greece’s biggest busts of the drugs.

They were hidden in boxes, among olive oil and olive containers in a warehouse in capital Athens.

Following a tip-off, officers from Greece’s drug law enforcement unit monitored the two men as they transferred the boxes to another Athens warehouse in an operation that led to their arrest on Thursday. The investigation continues.

Europe is an important global supplier of MDMA and there are indications that production in the continent is increasing, the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), said in a report this year.

In February, Australian police found about 120 kilos of MDMA hidden in vans on a cargo ship that had arrived from Europe.

In 2022, they seized more than 1,800 kg of methamphetamine, which is the most widely consumed synthetic stimulant drug in the world, according to EUDA.