Seven suspects arrested; three caught ‘red handed’
Portugal’s Judicial Police (PJ) has dismantled what it said was “the largest” industrial cocaine extraction, processing and packaging laboratory in Europe, during an operation in the west of Portugal (no location given) – detaining seven people and seizing around 1,500 kilograms of drugs.
In a statement today, the PJ said that ‘Operation Pacoba’ dismantled a highly organised criminal group dedicated to bringing large quantities of cocaine into the European mainland.
“The end result of operation ‘Pacoba’ was the arrest of seven suspects (four Portuguese, two Colombians and one Moroccan), the seizure of 1,478.5 kg of cocaine, three firearms, large amounts of cash, several light and heavy vehicles and the dismantling of the laboratory,” said the statement.
Those arrested, aged between 29 and 56, will face initial questioning in court before bail, or otherwise, being decided.Â
According to the PJ, the investigation began following an exchange of information within the framework of international cooperation, and in close collaboration and coordination with the police and judicial authorities of Colombia (National Police), Spain (National Police) and the US (the DEA – Drug Enforcement Administration, HSI – Homeland Security Investigations and CBP – Customs and Border Protection).
Then, in May this year, the PJ’s National Unit for Combating Drug Trafficking seized 986 kg of cocaine being transported in a shipping container from Colombia that had entered Portugal through the port of SetĂșbal.
According to the PJ, around 20 tonnes of bananas were being transported in the container and the drugs were hidden in the bottom of the cardboard boxes in which the fruit was packed.
“In the course of the investigation (…)Â it was possible to identify those responsible for importing the cocaine, and it was also possible to identify other suspects,” the statement adds.
As part of the investigation, a court issued 20 house and non-house search warrants, as well as four arrest warrants, which were carried out earlier this week.
In one of the warehouses searched, an industrial laboratory was found to be in operation, inside which around 460 kg of cocaine was seized that had already been processed, along with 32.5 kg that was still being processed.
Three men who were working in the laboratory were thus arrested red-handed.
Two firearms, a press, various pieces of laboratory equipment, large quantities of chemicals and a large amount of cash were also seized, according to the PJ statement.
LUSA
