In the German state of Saxony, police have seized a highly toxic substance — ricin — from a 16-year-old student in the municipality of Zeithain.
According to a joint statement by the state’s criminal police and the Dresden prosecutor’s office, the area surrounding the teenager’s home was cordoned off due to the serious danger posed by the substance.
Investigators say the teenager produced and stored several vials containing a mixture of ricin and aconitine in a makeshift laboratory located in the attic of his parents’ house. Authorities emphasize that ricin is officially classified as a biological weapon under Germany’s War Weapons Control Act.
The motive behind the teenager’s production of the toxic substances remains unknown. Since Thursday morning, a large-scale search has been underway at the home to confiscate all poisonous materials. The entire surrounding area, including access roads, has been closed off.
At this time, no arrest warrant has been issued, as the suspect is a minor and has no prior criminal record. Meanwhile, Bild reports that experts from the Robert Koch Institute have been brought in to assist with the operation. The tabloid also suggests the teenager may have been inspired by the TV series Breaking Bad, in which a character uses ricin.
