The party was taking place near the Funcho dam, in the locality of São Bartolomeu de Messines, when the GNR received a “complaint to report noise from an isolated area in the vicinity”, the Faro Territorial Command of the security force said.

“The GNR came to locate the source of the noise and soon realised that they were being faced with an illegal party with about 80 people, who were approached, inspected and given the indication to leave the site for failure to comply with the measures associated with the Covid-19 pandemic,” said the same source.

GNR also announced that they detained two men and one woman, between 21 and 32 years old, for drug trafficking, and raised six administrative offenses for the consumption of narcotics.

Also seized at the site were “a total of 179 doses of hashish, 13 doses of cocaine and 7 doses of cannabis”, while the party organisers “were identified and the facts forwarded to the Silves Judicial Court”.

The contingency situation, which has been in force in mainland Portugal since the 15 of September and will remain at least until the 14 of October, prevents gatherings of more than 10 people.