Portuguese authorities seize over 3 tonnes of cocaine in Olhão operation

The Portuguese National Republican Guard (GNR) intercepted a high‑speed vessel off the Algarve coast after its Integrated Surveillance System flagged the craft as suspicious. A coordinated land‑sea‑air operation in the municipality of Olhão led to the seizure of approximately 3,130 kilograms of cocaine, packed in 91 bundles, together with a light commercial vehicle and two signal‑jamming devices. The suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot; no arrests have been reported so far. The seized cocaine represents one of the largest drug busts in Portugal this year and underscores a shift in trafficking routes that increasingly use the Atlantic coast, prompting intensified cooperation between Portuguese and Spanish law‑enforcement agencies.

The operation follows earlier seizures in the region, including a 130‑kilogram haul reported by Spanish authorities, highlighting the growing importance of the Portugal‑Spain Atlantic corridor for cocaine smuggling into Europe.