The investigation lasted "for about three years", was carried out by the Department of Criminal Investigation (DIC) of Portimão and culminated in the seizure of a ton of cocaine. The sailboat carrying the drug was coming from South America, when it was intercepted, this Wednesday, June 21, off the coast of the Azores. The eight detainees, one of them Portuguese, are part of this trafficking network that used Portugal as a "platform to place cocaine" in Europe.
This was, in the words of Fernando Jordão, director of the Judiciary Police in the South, a “complex operation”.
At a press conference held this Monday, June 26, the official explained that this was a branch of a "South American organization" that "used Portugal and Spain as a platform" for cocaine trafficking.
The success of the operation, he added, was also due to "the cooperation" between the PJ, Navy, Air Force and the Brigade for the Investigation of Organized Crime of the National Police Corps (Spain).
The sailboat on which two of the detainees were traveling caught the attention of the authorities early on.
Inspector Alexandre Branco, director of the Department of Criminal Investigation of Portimão, said that, within the scope of the investigation, the boat soon emerged as suspected of “transporting this large amount of cocaine”.
«From very early on in the investigation we realized the contours with the acquisition of several boats», he explained.
After the boarding, in the early hours of Wednesday, the sailboat would end up going to the bottom, already without the drug inside.
«The boat, which was 14 meters long, had a single mast and an auxiliary engine, was fully equipped to make the journey. We believe that it went through some storms and sea difficulties that came to degrade the ship», explained Alexandre Branco.
During the trip to Ponta Delgada, already towed by the Navy, the sailboat would sink.
The crew, who offered no resistance, had the drug "in sight, in the ward", he added.
Asked what the fate of the cocaine would be, Alexandre Branco replied that there would be “three, four possibilities, one of which on the Spanish coast”.
“However, we didn't know for sure where they were going and that was one of the reasons that led us to request the help of the Navy and Air Force”, he added.
In addition to the arrest at sea, house searches were carried out in various places in Portugal.
Six more suspects were arrested, five of which were in compliance with arrest warrants issued by the Évora JIC.
The search actions also resulted in the seizure of another boat, a motor yacht, which “was in a marina” in the Algarve and which the authorities believe was used to “provide support”.
Added to this are diverse sophisticated communications equipment, such as satellite phones, relevant documentation for the investigation, money, various Wallets cryptocurrency, jewelery and high value watches.
The suspects, of different nationalities, namely European and South American, have police and judicial records for crimes of drug trafficking, money laundering and criminal association.
Those detained on the sailboat were already present at the competent Judicial Authorities in the Court of Ponta Delgada, having been held in custody.
The remaining six detainees are being present this Monday at the competent Judicial Authorities at the Court of Évora, for the application of coercive measures.
Comments