A 30-year-old man is also said to be involved in the case. However, the two men are believed to have only remained in the attempt stage during the production of the drugs.
The 38-year-old priest, who is alleged to have produced methamphetamine for resale in Lower Austria, has confessed. Police spokesman Stefan Loidl announced on Tuesday that the second suspect is a 30-year-old Iraqi from Vienna. The man has partially confessed. Both individuals are in investigative custody.
While the 38-year-old has been active in the Diocese of St. Pölten since 2021, the possible accomplice does not appear to be a person from church circles, as reported by “ORF” Lower Austria. According to investigators, not all of the necessary steps for the production of crystal meth were completed. Thus, the actions are said to have essentially remained in an attempt stage until the intervention of the police.
A house search was ordered by the Krems public prosecutor’s office at the affected parish. Drug precursors and laboratory equipment were discovered and seized.
The priest was “immediately relieved of his duties in the Diocese of St. Pölten.” Furthermore, “all pastoral activities in the diocese have been prohibited” for him, stated a statement from the Diocese of St. Pölten. The clergyman is a priest of the Archdiocese of Warsaw, which has also announced further steps. (APA)