According to the police, the haul came on 22 October following a surveillance action of the national maritime border, using the Integrated Command and Control Surveillance System (SIVICC). The operatives detected a suspicious vessel approaching the Algarve coast, towards the south of Praia do Garrão.

They then began to follow up and permanently monitor them, through the maritime means of the UCC, to try to intercept the vessel, which headed for the beach on Faro island.

The suspects threw the cargo into the water, in the Ria Formosa, and made their escape and have as yet not been apprehended.

In another incident, the GNR Territorial Command of Setúbal, through the Territorial Post of Sesimbra, indicated that it detained a 46-year-old man in flagrante delicto for drug trafficking in the town of Cotovia, in the municipality of Sesimbra.

During a patrol action, the GNR came across the suspect, previously mentioned for drug trafficking and consumption, driving a car in a place associated with this type of crime.

“It was also possible to verify that the man showed suspicious behaviour in the presence of the patrol, adopting irregular driving. Following the action, police investigations were carried out, which allowed it to be established that the suspect was in possession of narcotics, culminating in his arrest”, reads the statement.

According to the document, 52 doses of cocaine were seized during the operation, hidden in 19 sachets, a wooden baseball bat and 225 euros in cash.