According to the note from the police, two of the detainees, employees of a company providing 'handling' services (services provided on the ground to support aircraft, passengers, luggage, cargo and mail) at Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon, "removed the drug directly from the hold of the planes, shortly after their arrival, diverting it from baggage inspection".

"A large amount of cocaine was also seized which, if it reached the illicit distribution circuits, would be sufficient for at least one million individual doses", reads the statement, which added that the drug had just arrived in Lisbon, on a flight from Latin America.

In addition to the drugs, the authorities also seized a large amount of banknotes, three high-capacity cars, cell phones and various documents.