Drug smugglers on the Iberian Peninsula: Police secure 36 million euros!

Drug smugglers on the Iberian Peninsula: Police secure 36 million euros!

Lissabon, Portugal - The police in Portugal recently led a decisive blow against one of the largest drug smuggling organizations on the Iberian Peninsula. As the Kleine Zeitung , there were over 20 raids, in which numerous illegal goods were secured. Among the finds are 650 kilograms of cocaine, over seven tons of hashish, 19 high -speed boats and 24 other vehicles. The estimated total value of these drugs and goods amounts to at least 36 million euros.

The investigation against the criminal organization began in 2022, and the police had been targeting the gang that operated a far -reaching drug transport network. This operated not only within Portugal, but also extended across borders to several Spanish provinces, including Cádiz, Seville and Badajoz, as well as over eight Portuguese districts. It is particularly revealing that the gang operates illegal workshops near the mouth of the Tajo river, where they manufactured high -speed boats, known as "Narcolanchas", each of which has a value of almost half a million euros.

professional smuggling methods

The professionalization of drug smuggling methods is illustrated by another incident in which the Portuguese police were able to intercept a submarine with seven tons of cocaine in the Atlantic. The drugs were apparently on the way to Europe. The interior of the submarine, which resembles a lavish camping bus, showed the creativity of the South American cartels that now use highly developed transport methods. In the submarine, dozens of packages wrapped in plastic and various other equipment were found.

These developments show how important the fight against drug trafficking is for the European police. According to a report by Deutschlandfunk Rotterdam is the second largest gateway for cocaine in Europe. In recent years, large quantities of cocaine have been confiscated in various European ports, including Antwerp and Rotterdam, but it is estimated that only about 10 % of the smuggled cocaine is discovered.

the European threat

The increasing violence in drug trafficking, which goes hand in hand with fires and explosions in transitores such as Antwerp, is alarming. Justice Minister Vincent van Quickenborne warned of a "Narco terror" in Europe. In the European Union, cross -border cooperation is increasingly being used to counter organized crime and drug trafficking. Ultimately, the demand for cocaine in the major European cities remains unbroken, which indicates continuous replenishment and further increases the pressure on the investigative authorities.

The recently carried out blow against the drug smugglers in Portugal demonstrates both the challenges and the success in the fight against organized crime. Despite police successes in recent years, including the destruction of international drug cartels and the arrest of thousands, the drug problem in Europe remains acute.