The Portuguese Judicial Police, through the National Unit for Combating Drug Trafficking (UNCTE) and with the support of the Portuguese Navy, carried out a maritime operation which resulted in the seizure of approximately 1.000kg of cocaine in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Portugal. The target of the operation – which was named Operation […]

The Executive Director and the Head of Operations of MAOC-N recently received the Brazilian Ambassador to Portugal, Raimundo Carreiro Silva, at the Centre’s headquarters in Lisbon, reaffirming the excellent cooperation between Brazil and MAOC (N), namely through discussing the country’s strategic importance in combating maritime drug trafficking and new paths for further collaboration in the […]

On 18/05/2023, the Executive Director of MAOC-N received the Minister for Security of the UK, Tom Tugendhat, at the Centre’s headquarters in Lisbon. Minister Tugendhat, who was accompanied by his Private Secretary and by the Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Lisbon Ross Matthews, was briefed on some of the Centre’s operations […]

The Ambassador of France to Portugal, Ms. Hélène Farnaud-Defromont, was received by the Executive Director of MAOC-N, Mr. Sjoerd Top, at its headquarters in Lisbon. Ambassador Farnaud-Defromont was briefed on some of the Centre’s past and current operations and discussed viable collective initiatives and solutions to mitigate the new emerging threats posed by transnational organised […]

On 15/05/2023, the Executive Director of MAOC-N Mr. Sjoerd Top hosted the Ambassador of Italy to Portugal at the Centre’s headquarters in Lisbon. Ambassador Carlo Formosa visited the Centre following the country’s close collaboration with MAOC-N since the Centre’s establishment in 2007. As one of the founding countries, Italy has been a key strategic partner […]

Last week, under particularly adverse weather conditions, the Patrol Vessel CONDOR of the Spanish Customs Surveillance Service carried out a maritime operation which resulted in the seizure of over 1.500kg of cocaine in the Atlantic. The target of the operation was a vessel named EFESIOS 5-20, a 25 meter-long fishing vessel flying the Brazilian flag, […]

Ambassador Indra McCormick, the Australian Ambassador to Portugal who is also accredited to Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau & Sao Tome and Principe, was recently received by the MAOC-N Executive Director at its headquarters in Lisbon, accompanied by officers of the Australian Border force. Ambassador McCormick was briefed on MAOC-N’s activities and operations, with a view to […]

Ambassador Jessica Lapenn, U.S. Ambassador to the African Union and U.S. Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation, was recently received by the Executive Director and the Head of Operations of MAOC-N at its headquarters in Lisbon. Ambassador Lapenn was briefed on some of the Centre’s past and current operations, with a particular focus on the vulnerabilities […]

In the early hours of April 2nd, 2023, the Guinean Navy intercepted a fishing vessel named ALIMAN 1 off the coast of Conakry, Guinea, seizing more than 1.5 tonnes of cocaine found onboard the vessel, which was flying a flag from Sierra Leone. The drugs, believed to be ultimately destined for the European market, were […]