The Polícia Judiciária (PJ), with the support of the Portuguese Navy and Portuguese Air Force, has intercepted a 14-metre sailing vessel in the Atlantic Ocean carrying approximately 263kg of cocaine. The vessel was travelling from Latin America to Europe when it was located and boarded in international waters.
After the interception, the vessel was escorted to the port of Ponta Delgada in the Azores, where it was thoroughly searched, resulting in the arrest of its two foreign crew members.
This operation, named ALBUS, was carried out in close cooperation with Germany’s BKA, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), France’s Direction Nationale du Renseignement et des Enquêtes Douanières (DNRED), the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), and had the support of MAOC-N.
Following the conclusion of investigative measures, the detainees will be brought before the judicial authorities.
This operation underscores the critical importance of international cooperation in tackling drug trafficking; in this case, by the joint efforts of the Portuguese, German, US, French (DNRED) and UK authorities.
Press release (PJ): https://www.policiajudiciaria.pt/combate-ao-trafico-de-estupefacientes-por-via-maritima-operacao-albus/
