Record Operation Off the Coast of Portugal: 5 Tons of Cocaine Seized on Container Ship

I am trying to quickly adapt to the rhythm of the country and the agenda. While the calm of daily life continues on the one hand, on the other hand, we come across news of a huge operation showing how critical the Portuguese coast is in the international smuggling route. The recently disclosed details revealed the background of one of the largest drug operations in our seas. In the operation carried out jointly by the Judicial Police (PJ), Navy and Air Force, a Hong Kong flagged container ship was seized off the coast of Portugal. It was announced that the amount of cocaine, which was thought to be 4 tons during the initial examinations on the ship, reached 5 tons after a two-day detailed search in Sines Port. Operation in Stormy Sea and Journey to Sines Port The giant ship, which set out from Latin America, was spotted on the radar while it was approximately 1,185 kilometers west of Lisbon, under the coordination of the International Maritime Analysis and Operations Center (MAOC-N). In the operation, which police officials stated was carried out under "extremely difficult sea conditions", the ship was boarded and the vehicle was safely towed to Sines Port. During the searches, not only drugs but also technological maps, navigation and marine equipment used by the network in smuggling were seized. Method Behind Shipment: Transshipment at Sea According to the information shared by the police, the international criminal organization was aiming to transfer the cocaine to smaller boats in the middle of the sea instead of bringing it directly to the port. The plans were to throw the packages into the sea and carry them to the shore, which is one of the most frequently used methods by organizations that want to smuggle drugs into Europe. Three foreign nationals were detained within the scope of the investigation: Stowaways: Two foreign nationals hiding illegally on the ship were caught. Crew: One member of the ship's crew was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and direct involvement in the operation. This shipment, which was foiled by the joint work of Portuguese, British and Spanish law enforcement forces, became one of the biggest links in the chain of record operations we have recently come across in Portuguese waters. News: Inês Lopes (The Portugal Resident) Kaynak: RTP