Go‑fast boat seized with 2.6 tonnes of cocaine off Portugal FAST-MOVING
Italian anti‑mafia prosecutors in Brescia coordinated an international operation with the Guardia di Finanza, Spain and Portugal that intercepted a high‑speed “go‑fast” boat in the Atlantic near Lisbon. The seizure removed more than 2.6 tonnes of cocaine, valued at about €78 million wholesale and projected to generate roughly €500 million in street sales.
Four men were arrested aboard the vessel – two Spanish nationals, a citizen of Gibraltar and an Albanian resident of Mantova (province of Brescia). The operation relied on aerial surveillance by the Guardia di Finanza, support from the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC‑N) in Lisbon, and EU border‑control modules.
Authorities highlighted the use of go‑fast craft as “taxi‑of‑the‑sea” for drug shipments from South America to Europe, underscoring the importance of cross‑border police cooperation in disrupting large‑scale narcotrafficking.
Entities: Albanian suspect resident in Mantova · Brescia District Anti‑Mafia Prosecutor’s Office · Guardia di Finanza · Lisbon · Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC‑N) · Portuguese Maritime Police · Spanish police · go‑fast boat
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 12 SOURCES] Four men were arrested on board the boat: two Spanish nationals, one Gibraltar citizen and one Albanian resident of Mantova (province of Brescia). (Italian authorities)
- [● 12 SOURCES] The operation was coordinated by the Brescia District Anti‑Mafia Prosecutor’s Office and involved the Guardia di Finanza, Spain’s law‑enforcement and Portugal’s Maritime Police. (Italian press releases)
- [● 12 SOURCES] The seized cocaine’s wholesale value is estimated at about €78 million and could generate a street‑level market of around €500 million. (Italian authorities)
- [● 12 SOURCES] Over 2.6 tonnes of cocaine were seized in the Atlantic near Lisbon. (Italian Guardia di Finanza and partner agencies)