By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent
A Sky News investigation has seen how Vietnamese gangs operating in the Czech Republic are fuelling a "concerning" increase in crystal meth use across continental Europe.
Abuse of methamphetamine in Germany has risen by 51% in the most recent crime survey and there is evidence more professionals are starting to take the drug, which is relatively cheap to produce and highly addictive.
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) says that EU member states need to work on a proper response to the growth of the drug which "has the potential to cause significant harm".
Sky News travelled to Prague, which is now the epicentre of the crystal meth industry, to try to find out why it's the source of a staggering 95% of all batches consumed in Europe.
In the Czech Republic crystal meth is known as Pervitin, the brand name of the drug used by Adolf Hitler to keep his military alert.
When the Iron Curtain swept across the continent, the then Czechoslovakia became the centre of the Communist empire's pharmaceutical industry, making the source material for crystal meth easily available.
At that time little was known about the damaging effects of crystal meth, which is relatively easy to "cook" from ephedrine-based cold remedies and is versatile in its use, as explained by Dr Jiri Prisl, who tries to wean addicts off the drug.
"You can swallow it, whether in powder or in dilution, so you can drink it, swallow it, sniff it, you can smoke it, you can inject it into your veins. In all possible ways," he explains.
He said most white collar workers still prefer cocaine because crystal meth is seen as a socially inferior drug, but those who work in a mobile needle exchange in the centre of Prague told us that pattern is beginning to change.
Fanda, a homeless man who's been addicted to the drug for nearly two decades, says he's noticed the changing profile of crystal meth users.
"For instance here in Prague I know that it's not only people on street. It's also just normal people who work in office, in kitchens or on construction sites. I know about 1,000 such people in the whole of the Czech Republic," he said.
In July 2014, a German MP Michael Hartmann admitted taking the drug to improve his work performance, while in affluent gay circles in London and Paris the drug, known as "Tina", is commonplace among those looking to enhance sexual pleasure.
Researchers at the EMCDDA believe the global financial crisis could be partly to blame, but police say it is also down to a much more sophisticated production and distribution network run by Vietnamese gangs based in the Czech Republic.
Colonel Jackub Frydrych, who heads the team trying to disrupt the trade, said success in breaking up the triads' traditional money-maker in counterfeit goods, led the gangs to look for other potential revenues.
They are looking at worldwide expansion, he said.
"There are booming markets. I will give you an example: in Japan there is a big mark up of about £435 on each gram of crystal meth.
"From a profit perspective it is one of the most dynamic markets."
So the drug that started in kitchens of Czechoslovakia has now moved to the factory production line: six tons of the drug were seized in raids last year even though the number of raids fell.
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