Dozens of residents in The Hague were forced to evacuate their homes again on Saturday as authorities continued their operation to dismantle an illegal synthetic drug lab discovered the day before. This is the second evacuation of the area in 24 hours. Dutch police arrested four men, aged between 34 and 71, suspected of involvement in the lab, which, according to local media, was used to produce MDMA and pills known as “ecstasy.”

According to Dutch media, around 150 residents were initially evacuated on Friday so that specialist police teams could remove tanks containing 500 to 750 litres of potentially dangerous substances located outside the laboratory. After being allowed to return to their homes overnight, they were ordered to leave again on Saturday to complete the dismantling of the facility.

"It is not common to discover such objects in residential areas," a police spokeswoman told AFP.

The Municipality of The Hague warned that during the removal and disposal of raw materials and manufactured substances there is a risk of hazardous materials leaking into the environment. Authorities have set up an information hotline for residents and expect them to be able to return to their homes around midnight, once the operation is safely completed.

🚨 In de Meidoornstraat a drug lab was discovered. Door gevaarläste stoffen zijn tientallen woningen tyggen untruimd.

️ ️ Naar opsing van de tijjadne untruiming heeft de gemeente uit voorzorg een overzicht met veelgestelde vragen en antwoorden (Q&A) setalud. View the… pic.twitter.com/XlHDaeOtcY

— Gemeente Den Haag (@GemeenteDenHaag) July 18, 2026