Thirty-three suspects appeared before a judge on Monday at the Santarém court as part of an investigation into organized crime, drug trafficking, and money laundering, according to a statement released today by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Of the 33 detained individuals, the judge ordered that 13 be held in pre-trial detention, the most severe form of custody, while the remaining suspects were subjected to periodic reporting to authorities and prohibited from contacting co-defendants.
One of the detainees is also charged with money laundering for allegedly concealing criminal proceeds through the purchase of assets in names of third parties.
The arrests took place on July 8, following detention and search warrants executed in Portugal and Spain.
During the operations, authorities seized “18 speedboats, 649 kilograms of cocaine, 7,800 kilograms of hashish, firearms, and approximately 773,000 euros in cash,” the statement detailed.
The indictment states that the suspects operated in an organized manner, collaborating with various international criminal organizations, using boats launched in Portugal to collect drugs “from Morocco or on the high seas, later transporting them to Spain.”
The investigation continues under the direction of the 2nd Section of the Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) of Santarém, assisted by the National Republican Guard.
