Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 Source: Reuters Copyright: 1999 Reuters Limited. 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. - --- MAP posted-by: Patrick Henry