Nizhny Novgorod police uncovered a drug lab near St. Petersburg.

      On April 30, 2026, at 18:07, Incidents: Nizhny Novgorod operatives uncovered a drug laboratory belonging to a St. Petersburg resident, who had previously been detained in the Volga capital for attempting to sell prohibited substances. This was reported by the press service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the region.

      Recall that the repeatedly convicted 38-year-old man was caught in early April of this year. A package containing 12 bundles of unknown origin was found in his car. Later, experts determined that the detainee was transporting more than two kilograms of mephedrone.

      Subsequently, law enforcement officials discovered that the perpetrator was producing the drug himself on a rented plot in a gardening association in the Leningrad region. He planned to sell the substances using stash houses across the country, including in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      Police went on a business trip to the Luga district of the Leningrad region. The underground laboratory contained another two kilograms of ready mephedrone crystals, as well as 34 canisters of precursors and professional equipment. The detainee explained that he received the coordinates for deliveries and brewing instructions via messengers.

      A criminal case has been initiated under part 3 of article 30 and part 5 of article 228.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal production and sale of narcotic substances in especially large quantities). The St. Petersburg resident has been taken into custody, facing a sentence of up to life imprisonment.

      Earlier, we reported that a car with two kilograms of "synthetics" was stopped in the Nizhny Novgorod region. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials for 18+.