Portugal: Two major hash busts in just two days in Algarve

Police have announced two major drug hauls just one day apart from each other in the Algarve. Last weekend, authorities intercepted two boats in Tavira and Castro Marim, each carrying around 1.4 tonnes of hashish.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, PJ police arrested two men caught red-handed while preparing to dock at Tavira’s Barril beach. The men, who have been convicted of similar crimes in the past, were identified as Olhão residents and did not offer resistance.

They are believed to have received the 43 bales of hashish from another larger vessel out at sea, regional PJ chief António Madureira told Jornal de Notícias. They appeared before a court on Saturday and were remanded in custody.

A day later, a speedboat carrying 1.4 tonnes of hashish was intercepted by the GNR’s coastal control unit in the Guadiana River near Foz de Odeleite, Castro Marim.

The drugs were packed into 42 bales, the police force announced.

With the support of SIVICC (which stands for integrated system of coastal control), Vila Real de Santo António’s coastal control unit was able to detect a “suspicious boat” near the Spanish river banks in the early hours of Sunday morning (June 21).

The vessel was equipped with three “high-speed engines”, which helped the men aboard it escape to Spain after spotting the approaching police agents.

With the help of Spain’s Guardia Civil, two men were located and arrested. The boat and the drugs were confiscated and delivered to the Spanish authorities, who are investigating the case.

So far, no official correlation has been made between the two busts.

Two major drug busts in just two days in Algarve

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