Crew member arrested in five-ton cocaine operation was found dead in his cell.
Immediately after the historic five-ton cocaine operation off the coast of Sines, the key figure in the incident was found dead in his cell.
According to the information provided by Portugal Resident newspaper and RTP, the Indian crew member who was detained within the scope of "Operation SkyDrop", one of the largest drug operations in Portuguese history, was found dead in his cell at the Judicial Police (PJ) detention center in Lisbon on Wednesday morning, August 5.
According to the details of Correio da Manhã and Público newspapers, it is considered that the death occurred as a result of hanging. However, although there were security cameras in the corridors of the detention center, there was no video surveillance inside the cells, so authorities launched a full-scale investigation into the death.
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It Was the Key to the Solution of the Investigation
The deceased Indian crew member was of critical importance to the teams conducting the investigation. According to RTP's report, unlike the other Italian and Colombian suspects in custody, he stood out as the only person who could provide information about the working scheme of the international drug cartel. Although emergency services were called after the body was found when prison officials opened the cells at around 08:00 in the morning, it was determined that the person had died.
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In its official statement, the General Directorate of Reintegration and Prison Services (DGRSP) confirmed that the person arrested within the scope of the operation was found dead in the cell where he was staying alone.
Massive Operation 640 Nautical Miles Offshore
Behind this crisis in the detention center lies a huge operation taking place in the Portuguese seas. A Hong Kong-flagged container ship was stopped 640 nautical miles off the coast, as a result of the work carried out jointly by the PJ National Anti-Drug Trafficking Unit (UNCTE), the Portuguese Navy, the Air Force, the UK National Crime Agency and the Spanish National Police.
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During the searches carried out on the ship towed to Sines Port, 5 tons of cocaine were seized. PJ officials announced that with this latest operation, the amount of cocaine seized across the country reached 28 tons and the total figures for 2025 have already been surpassed.
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On the one hand, they are trying to unravel the connections of the international cocaine network, and on the other hand, they are trying to open the curtain of mystery behind the death of this key suspect in the detention center.
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