In a statement, the Setúbal Territorial Command of the GNR explained that the suspect, a 21-year-old man, was arrested on 6 May during a road traffic inspection of a suspicious vehicle on the A2 motorway.

“The GNR officers ordered a passenger car travelling south to stop,” said the GNR, indicating that the driver disregarded the order and fled, “substantially increasing the vehicle's speed and endangering other road users.”

According to the statement, the fleeing vehicle collided with another vehicle several kilometres down the road. The driver attempted to continue the escape, but ended up “losing control of the vehicle, crashing and coming to a stop on the side of the road”.

“After the crash, the occupants abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, and it was possible to intercept one of the suspects at the scene,” reported the GNR.

According to the Guard, the Criminal Investigation Unit (NIC) of Palmela was also activated and confirmed the presence of drugs inside the vehicle.

The GNR seized a total of 72.163 kilograms of hashish, equivalent to 144,000 doses, a passenger car, two mobile phones and €245 in cash.

The detained man “is being presented this morning for his first judicial interrogation at the Setúbal Court”, for the application of the respective coercive measures, a police source revealed to the Lusa news agency.

In the statement, the GNR added that investigations are ongoing and the facts have been reported to the competent court.