Operation Skydrop: PJ seizes 556 kg of cocaine from ship 640 nautical miles from Lisbon
The Judicial Police dismantled a criminal group involved in international drug trafficking after seizing 556 kilogrammes of cocaine from a container ship in the Atlantic. Three foreign nationals were detained.
Container ship intercepted in Atlantic was carrying more than half a tonne of cocaine
The Judicial Police seized 556 kilogrammes of cocaine aboard a container ship in an operation codenamed Skydrop aimed at dismantling a criminal group involved in drug trafficking to the European continent, according to policiajudiciaria.pt.
The interception took place in the early hours of Tuesday, 4 August, when the ship was boarded approximately 640 nautical miles from Lisbon — roughly 1,185 kilometres. The vessel was subsequently escorted by the Portuguese Navy to Sines port, where the cocaine was removed from the ship.
The operation was led by the PJ's National Unit for Combating Drug Trafficking, with cooperation from the Portuguese Navy and Air Force. At international level, the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency and Spain's Policía Nacional participated, within the framework of MAOC-N — Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Drugs.
Two foreign nationals in irregular circumstances were found aboard the ship and were immediately detained. During investigative proceedings carried out over the course of the same day, a crew member, also a foreign national, was identified and detained on suspicion of involvement in the criminal scheme. In addition to the drugs, the authorities seized various objects used in the transport, throwing into the sea, and navigation associated with the cargo.
The ship had departed from a country in Latin America, whose identity has not yet been disclosed by the authorities.
At a press conference held this afternoon, officials detailed the operational effort involved: the Air Force logged 32 hours of flying time in total, including 9 hours of air transport, 16 hours of air reconnaissance and surveillance, and 17 hours of helicopter operations for infiltrating teams onto the vessel. The Navy mobilised 130 military personnel, who accumulated more than 85 hours of work.
The investigation is ongoing.
Source: Google News PT — Crime (pt)