In a statement, the PJ police confirmed that they had taken part in a complex operation to combat the transnational traffic of narcotics by sea which had led to the arrests of seven people.


During Operation “Areia Branca” the authorities located and intercepted a fishing vessel “in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean sailing under the Brazilian flag and suspected of being used in the transportation of large amounts of cocaine headed for Europe”.


The boat was taken to the Lisbon naval base where it was then searched by police who found hidden in 50 sacks a total of 1,102 kilos of cocaine.


Seven foreign men aged between 36 and 64 were detained by the authorities.


The ongoing investigation is supported by the Drugs Enforcement Agency of the United Sates and the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom.