A total of 1840 kilos of hashish and a 7,70 meter long vessel were seized by the GNR last night, in an operation carried out on the Guadiana River, near Castro Marim. Two men of Spanish nationality, crew of the vessel, were also arrested.
The operation was led by the GNR Coastal Control Unit, which, at 19:30 pm on Tuesday, picked up the boat loaded with hash, manned by the two suspects of Spanish nationality.
According to a GNR statement released today, the action resulted from an alert made by the Spanish Guardia Civil, which reported the movement of a suspicious vessel, coming from the high seas, and which was being monitored by that force's coastal surveillance system, upon entry from the Guadiana river.
«The naval and land assets of the Sub-Deployment of Coastal Control of Vila Real de Santo António, district of Faro, to intercept that vessel, an action that took place along the Castro Marim creek (also on the Guadiana River)», the statement said.
The two crew members, aged 36 and 40, tried to escape, but were eventually caught by the Portuguese authorities.
Inside the boat, 58 bales of hash were packed, totaling 1.840 kilograms and with an estimated value of 60 euros. According to the GNR, this operation prevented the entry of 3.680.000 doses of hashish in Europe.
The GNR also emphasizes that the operation was only possible due to the close collaboration with the Spanish Guardia Civil and the coastal surveillance and communications systems.
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