Four charged after alleged meth lab operation uncovered near Prague

Prague detectives have charged three men and a woman who allegedly manufactured several kilograms of methamphetamine and sold the drug across Prague and the surrounding Central Bohemian region, according to police.

Investigators from Prague’s criminal police said they began examining reports of large-scale methamphetamine dealing in Prague 6 and gradually uncovered a group that was not only distributing the drug but also producing it. The investigation, codenamed “Lečo,” allegedly found that the suspects first operated from an apartment in Prague 6 before moving production to cottage areas in the Central Bohemian Region.

Police said the group was capable of producing several hundred grams of methamphetamine in a single batch and is suspected of manufacturing several kilograms overall. During the investigation, one of the suspects allegedly fled a traffic stop, throwing bags containing drugs from his vehicle during the chase. Police said warning shots were fired before he was apprehended. Officers later found drugs and a firearm in his possession and discovered he was driving despite two active driving bans.

The four suspects were arrested during coordinated raids last week. Three were detained in Prague, while the fourth was located near the village of Tuklaty. According to police, he attempted to flee across nearby fields and was eventually stopped after warning shots were fired. Investigators said he was armed and allegedly threatened officers with a firearm before attempting to turn the weapon on himself.

Searches carried out after the arrests uncovered nearly CZK 700,000 in cash, almost one kilogram of methamphetamine, and several kilograms of tablets and red phosphorus, a chemical that police said could have been used to produce additional quantities of the drug.

One of the detained men, aged 40, was transferred directly to prison because of a previously issued order related to an earlier conviction. A 41-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman remain in custody, while all four suspects have been charged with illegal production and handling of narcotic and psychotropic substances. If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison.