The Judiciary Police have revealed that the Portuguese authorities have already seized 41 tons of drugs so far this year.
It is reported that up to June 26th and according to available data, around 11 tons of cocaine, 30 tons of hashish and smaller amounts of other types of drugs were siezed.
The PJ also said that the destruction of six tons of various types of illicit drugs seized over the last few months by the different security forces will be done through incineration, "under the supervision of a commission made up of a public prosecutor, a investigator from the Judiciary Police and an expert from the Scientific Police Laboratory".
Throughout the whole of last year, almost 42 tons of drugs were seized in Portugal, according to the 2022 report on Combating Drug Trafficking in Portugal, which gathers data on drug seizures carried out by PJ, GNR, PSP, Tax and Customs Authority (AT), Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) and also by other State entities, such as the Maritime Police (PM) and the Directorate-General for Reinsertion and Prison Services (DGRSP).
Hashish was the most seized drug in 2022, with around 23.37 tons, followed by cocaine, with 16.5 tons, and marijuana (cannabis), with 1.15 tons.
News of large drug seizures has multiplied in recent months, with particular emphasis on maritime operations off the coast of the Algarve.
In March, the Navy and the National Maritime Authority announced that 16.48 tons of drugs were seized in the first two months of 2023 alone.
