Initially, the police detained three men on Sunday, following an investigation conducted by the Central Department of Investigation and Prosecution and the police.

"These individuals were caught red-handed, in the area of Montijo, with 249,000 doses of narcotic product (hashish), which they had acquired in the south of Spain," the police said, clarifying that "the investigation began about 16 months ago and followed all the steps of a criminal organisation responsible for introducing large amounts of that type of drug into the north of the country."

In the context of Sunday’s detention, six home and two non-domiciliary searches were carried out, which resulted in the seizure of "more 1,000 doses of narcotic drugs, €15,000 in cash, four vehicles used by the organisation for their activity and other relevant items for the ongoing investigation.”

A source linked to the investigation told Lusa that the police officer took advantage of his union time-off to be involved in this type of activity related to drug trafficking.

In statements to Lusa, the president of the Union Association of Police Professional (ASPP/PSP), Paulo Rodrigues, confirmed that the officer is a union delegate and said that "an internal proceeding will be opened to expel this member.”