A drug boat manned by two Brits suffered engine failure in mid-ocean. The crew had to send a distress signal to the cheery delight the police who had been tracking its progress.
The plan was to sail the boat from northern Africa, loaded with hashish, to the Algarve where it would be unloaded at Vilamoura marina and the cargo shipped to northern Europe.
The British registered boat that the two Britons and a Brazilian were using to transport the illegal cargo suffered an engine failure 40 kilometres south of Faro and, after trying to fix the problem, had to ask for help which was gladly given by the Marine Police who boarded and promptly arrested them having discovered part of the 1.5 tons of hashish hidden behind false panels on board.
The police had been tracking the boat and the criminal organisation behind the shipment for several months.
The crew has been adrift for 12 hours before having to call for help. After their arrest the crew members were taken to Faro hospital suffering from symptoms of hypothermia and stupidity.
More arrests are to be made over the next few days in Portugal and other European countries as the police follow up the supply chain.
The drugs smuggling network is based in northern Europe and acquired the hashish in Morocco. The defunct boat was towed by the Portuguese Navy to Faro docks and was last seen being dismantled in the search for more hidden hash.
The two Brits appeared in court today and have been remanded in custody pending trial. The Brazilian is allowed out but must report in to the police regularly.
