The Regional Prosecutor’s Office of Évora (PRGE) has announced the detention of three individuals with prior drug trafficking records, now charged with aggravated international drug trafficking and criminal association.
The judge from the criminal investigation court in Ponta Delgada, Azores, imposed the most severe preventive measure due to the risk of the suspects fleeing, disrupting the inquiry, and continuing their criminal activities.
The suspects include two Danes and a British national, aged between 43 and 51 years.
On June 20, the Judiciary Police revealed the interception of a sailboat, with the assistance of the Portuguese Navy, near the western group of the Azores. The vessel, measuring approximately 11 meters, was carrying around 1,660 kilograms of cocaine originating from Latin America and destined for Europe.
Operation “Vikings” was the culmination of two years of intricate investigation, currently spearheaded by the Évora Regional Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP), assisted by the Criminal Investigation Department of Portimão of the PJ, along with cooperation from international authorities.
The PRGE detailed that the vessel was intercepted on June 14, and the seized cocaine, noted for its high purity, has an estimated value of about 60 million euros.
The focus of the investigation is a criminal organization engaged in transporting significant quantities of cocaine from South/Central America by sea for distribution in Europe, entering through Portugal.
The sailboat interception was synchronized with the detention of the alleged leader of the organization by Spanish authorities, in a Polic National operation.
