He manufactured his drugs in his presbytery: arrested, the dealer priest wanted to start selling methamphetamine

Le prêtre a été relevé de ses fonctions. Illustration d'image Envato Elements – Sonyachny

Suspected of producing methamphetamine, a 38-year-old priest was arrested on July 28, 2024 in Gmünd, Austria.

During a search of an Austrian presbytery, located about a hundred kilometers from Vienna, its capital, the police discovered equipment necessary for the manufacture of methamphetamines (also called crystal meth) as well as drug precursors (chemicals used to manufacture the illicit substance).

The priest confessed everything

Suspecting the priest in charge of the premises of manufacturing methamphetamine in his rectory, the officers proceeded to arrest him immediately, report the daily newspapers Kronen Zeitung and Ausburger Allgemeine.

The 38-year-old cleric was placed in pretrial detention, the regional police headquarters of Sankt Pölten announced on July 29. The day after his arrest, the man confessed to all the charges against him.

The priest who had been working in the parish since 2011 was “immediately relieved of his duties" and “any pastoral activity in the diocese was prohibited", affirms the diocese of Sankt Pölten.

Another man arrested

However, he would not be the only one responsible in this story worthy of the series Breaking Bad.

Another individual of Iraqi origin was arrested and placed in pretrial detention by the Austrian authorities on July 30, police spokesman Stefan Loidl said. He partially confessed to the facts.

But the project to manufacture synthetic drugs did not come to fruition according to the authorities. The two men did not manage to complete all the different stages of manufacturing methamphetamine.