Portugal’s PJ police have seized more than 80,000 litres of GBL, a chemical commonly known as the “date rape drug”, during a major anti-drug operation in the Alentejo.
The operation, codenamed “Gama”, was carried out by the National Unit for Combating Drug Trafficking and led to the discovery of 82,000 litres of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) stored in one-thousand-litre containers and multiple smaller bottles.
Investigators also seized hundreds of empty, pre-labelled bottles, ready to be placed on the market under other names, along with rolls of adhesive labels designed to disguise the substance as household cleaning products.
The investigation began in November 2025, following international police cooperation and in close coordination with the Tax and Customs Authority, the criminal police force says in a statement to the press.
According to the PJ, the suspects – a group of Portuguese and foreign citizens – acquired companies licensed to trade chemical products and detergents, then exploited weaknesses in Portugal’s export control system. Using forged documentation and certificates, they allegedly shipped thousands of litres of GBL to illegal markets around the world, investigators say.
GBL is legally sold online but, when ingested, produces effects similar to GHB, an illegal drug under Portuguese law. It acts as a powerful central nervous system depressant, with severe psychoactive effects.
The substances are commonly referred to as “date rape drugs” due to the disinhibition and altered consciousness they can cause.
Europol has repeatedly warned that drug trafficking is now one of the greatest threats to European security, calling for a firm and coordinated response from EU member states.
The investigation is ongoing.
