At least 10 vats containing thousands of litres of chemicals left over from “washing” cocaine or amphetamine and ecstasy production have been found dumped in the Brabant countryside, the Brabants Dagblad said on Thursday.

The find was made near the town of Schijndel and was described as “very strong smelling” by a photographer at the scene. Some of the containers were damaged. Others had tipped over and were leaking into a ditch and specialists are now being brought in to clear up the waste.  

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The police have also made a public appeal for information in connection with three other dumps in Smilde and Beilen in Drenthe and the Frisian village of Jubbega, which involved over 30 jerry cans of chemicals.

According to public health institute RIVM, the police find some 200 dump sites every year.