Initially scheduled for June 11, the first trial hearing was postponed to September 4 due to the resignation of the defense lawyers for two of the defendants. It has been rescheduled for September 5 at 9:00 AM.
Judge Maria Pires, presiding over the case, explained that the delay was caused by defendants Gabriel Carvalho and Ayari Chokri’s refusal to be represented by a court-appointed lawyer.
The defense lawyers informed the court at that time that they were withdrawing from representing the two men, one of whom is Brazilian, while the other claims Italian and Egyptian nationality.
The two men, currently held in pre-trial detention at a Lisbon correctional facility, stated they would not accept court-appointed lawyers and intended to appoint new legal representation.
The defendants are suspected of being part of an international drug trafficking network and were arrested in March 2023 in Albufeira during a police operation while transporting 1,200 kilograms of cocaine in a truck.
The six men, aged between 24 and 62, all in pre-trial detention, hold Brazilian, Croatian, Italian, and Portuguese nationalities and face charges of aggravated drug trafficking and criminal association.
They are suspected of “introducing large quantities of cocaine into the European market” and belonging to “a very powerful network” with a logistical base in the Algarve, using Portugal as an “entry point” for further distribution in Europe.
During the operation led by the Polícia Judiciária (PJ), besides the drugs, authorities seized a heavy vehicle used for transportation, “communication equipment, large amounts of cash, documents, and other objects.”
The investigation was led by the Central Department of Investigation and Prosecution (DCIAP) in Lisbon.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s office, there is evidence suggesting that the detainees are part of an international criminal organization dedicated to transporting large quantities of cocaine by sea from South America, where it is produced, to Europe, entering through Portugal.
The first trial hearing of the case, involving a total of seven prosecution and defense witnesses, is now scheduled for September 5 at 9:00 AM.
