A large-scale police operation involving a detachment of 67 officers of Loulé GNR has dismantled a network of violent criminals engaged in trafficking drugs, illegal possession of firearms and thefts of valuable items, on October 10.
Four Portuguese men aged between 21 and 28 were arrested and held in custody after police carried out 19 searches of various homesteads, warehouses and vehicles. They found two hunting rifles, two pistols of 6.35mm and 8 mm, a sawn-off barrel rifle, 141 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, two truncheons, 11 knives and other similar weapons, and a bullet loader for a pistol.
Police also seized enough hashish for 393 doses along with a large number of stolen goods including seven computers, 63 mobile phones, binoculars, six cameras and a gold necklace.
The detained men are believed to be part of a larger criminal network which has been targeting homes in the Albufeira and Loulé region as well as in the Baixo Alentejo region of the country for nearly two years.
The police operation is the culmination of an 18-month investigation by the Núcleo de Investigação Criminal of the Loulé GNR which is expected to make further arrests.
The four detainees are to be charged in court with offences of drug trafficking, possession of illegal firearms and theft.
Faro drug bust
Meanwhile, a married couple believed to be the major traffickers of heroin in Faro have been arrested by the PSP police.
The bust came after a six month investigation by police who finally obtained a warrant to search the house where the couple were living.
The house search revealed various weapons, money along with heroin as well as equipment and items related to drug trafficking.
