Group of traffickers arrested in Albufeira belongs to a ‘quite powerful’ network

The six arrested for cocaine trafficking in Albufeira belong to a “quite powerful” network with “very large” financial power, according to the Judicial Police (PJ), who suspect the group had a logistics base in the Algarve.

“In fact, we are facing a very powerful network, both in terms of logistics and in terms of controlling the drug product itself until it reaches the end markets, and above all, a network that has a very, very large financial strength. to have access to these quantities” of drugs, said Fernando Jordão, head of the Southern Directorate of the Joint Venture.

On Wednesday in Albufeira, the SP seized 1.2 tons of cocaine that was in a truck about to hit the road and arrested six detainees at the crime scene from different countries, namely Brazil, Croatia, Italy and Portugal.

“Here we have a group composed of people of different nationalities, which clearly demonstrates the size of this network and, above all, also demonstrates the organization and all the logistical support for this type of trafficking, given that this narcotic product comes from other latitudes,” the official said at a press conference.

As Fernando Jordão told reporters, the seized drug was “definitely not intended for the Portuguese consumer market”, but for distribution in Europe, since Portugal is usually the “gateway” for sending the drug to other countries.

“This is something we must investigate with the help and cooperation, whether it be the police or the judiciary, to understand the final destination,” the leader added, acknowledging that the group of traffickers who have been monitored for several days may be other elements involved. back. .

The cocaine was intercepted inside a heavy vehicle that may have been about to leave Portugal, and most of the detainees were caught red-handed preparing to transport the drug without putting up a fight, he said.

“With the illicit traffic in cocaine, things are, in fact, different. As I said, much more logistical support is required,” he stressed, without specifying whether the drug, whose market value is estimated at more than 30 million euros, arrived by sea.

“This is a hypothesis that we need to work on,” he said.

Some of those arrested were in hotels and apartments in the Algarve, leading the Trial Chamber to believe that the traffickers may have a logistical base in the region.

“We are talking about very large sums and therefore they must be close to where something happens, which is natural,” explained the head of PJ in the Algarve and Baixo Alentejo.

According to Fernando Jordão, it is also being investigated whether this network has links with others operating in the country, possibly with groups that increase hashish trafficking outside the Algarve.