The National Unit for Combating Corruption of the Judiciary Police (PJ) conducted an operation on Sunday in Setúbal and Sines, named ‘Porthos II’, resulting in the arrest of five individuals suspected of crimes including corruption and drug trafficking.
According to a statement from the PJ, the five detainees held public positions at the ports of Setúbal and Sines.
During the operation, authorities executed six search and seizure warrants in addition to the five arrest warrants, all issued by the public prosecutor overseeing the investigation. The individuals are suspected of engaging in active corruption, passive corruption, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
“The investigation concerns the benefitting of international criminal organizations involved in exporting large quantities of cocaine via maritime routes from Latin America,” the statement disclosed.
As the PJ investigation revealed, these criminal organizations utilize national maritime ports as entry points for drugs into the European continent, concealed among various goods in containers.
The ongoing criminal investigation originated from international police cooperation with PJ’s counterparts, leading to the collection of supplementary evidence. The operation, involving 30 PJ inspectors and security officers, marks the culmination of the ‘Porthos’ operation, initiated in February this year under the inquiry by the Central Department of Investigation and Penal Action.
“The current inquiry’s criminal investigation will continue, in collaboration with other units of the Judiciary Police, to determine the full extent of the facts under investigation and identify all those responsible,” the statement emphasized.
The detainees are scheduled to appear before the prosecutor on the next Monday, July 13.
Operation ‘Porthos’
Remember that during the ‘Porthos’ operation launched in February, the PJ arrested four individuals and designated 15 as defendants. At that time, searches were conducted in Lisbon, Setúbal, Sines, and Leiria, totaling 32 search warrants — 14 residential and 18 non-residential.
The four detainees were also suspected of benefiting criminal organizations dedicated to exporting large quantities of cocaine from Latin America. A judicial source reported to Lusa that five defendants are tax authority employees, two of whom were detained.
At that time, more than half a million euros in cash, ten vehicles, and five firearms were seized.
The Judiciary Police have been investigating the entry of narcotics into Europe through Portuguese maritime ports for two years. During Operation Porthos, conducted on Tuesday, the focus was on the ports of Lisbon, Setúbal, Sines, and Leiria, the country’s main ports.
Notícias ao Minuto with Lusa | 18:12 – 25/02/2025
