Prevention for three drug trafficking suspects in Odemira and Sines

O Odemira Judicial Court today determined the detention of the three men arrested by the GNR for suspected drug trafficking in the municipalities of Odemira and Sines, revealed the source of that security force.

The same source indicated to Lusa that GNR seized about four tons of cocaine and two vessels, and that men aged between 22 and 42 were present today at the Odemira Court in Beja district for first judicial interrogation.

The court decreed pre-trial detention for the three defendants, the most serious measure of coercion, having all been conducted to the Beja Prison Institution, where they will wait for the process to proceed, gave the source.

The defendants are two Portuguese, who have a criminal record for drug trafficking, arms trafficking and criminal association, and a foreigner, he added.

The Coastal and Border Control Unit (UCCF) of GNR revealed on Thursday, in a statement, that it arrested the three men that day and seized about four tons of cocaine and two vessels in the vicinity of the mouth of the river Mira and Praia da Vieirinha, in the municipalities of Odemira, in the district of Beja, and Sines, in the district of Setúbal.

The GNR's UCCF, in the statement, made early on Thursday an action of Coastal Surveillance and Control, triggered after the detection of high-speed vessels (EAV) by the Integrated Surveillance, Command and Control System (SIVICC).

During the operation, the presence of two VAS “which would be transporting volumes to a fishing vessel near the mouth of the Mira River” was confirmed.

“ Maritime intervention allowed intercepting the fishing vessel,” the Guard said, stating that the three men were detained inside.

In this vessel, GNR also confirmed “the existence of 73 cocaine bales”.

Already on the return to land was also detected “an additional drifting recreational vessel, which was found to have within it 58 loads of cocaine,” added GNR.

In total, GNR seized in this operation two vessels, 131 bales of cocaine, with an estimated weight of 3,915 kilograms, four mobile phones and 1,240 euros in cash.

The Guard pointed out that this operation in Odemira and Sines happened “less than 48 hours” after another police action carried out by the same security force, early on Wednesday, in Praia da Costinha, municipality of Figueira da Foz, district of Coimbra, which resulted in the seizure of 2.7 tons of cocaine and four weapons of war.

“ In all of these two operations, GNR seized more than 6.5 tons of cocaine in less than 48 hours, evidencing the permanent commitment of the Guard to the surveillance and control of the Portuguese coast and to the fight against international trafficking of narcotic drugs by sea,” he said.

In the operation at Costinha Beach, 20 foreigners were also identified, between the ages of 20 and 44, and seven people were arrested: four for drug trafficking and possession of a prohibited wararm and three for illegal stay in the country.

On the other hand, the operation in Alentejo, which committed land and sea resources, was carried out through the Detachment of Costeiro de Sines Control.

The action was reinforced by the Territorial Command of Setúbal and supported by the Maritime Police and the House of Sines.