Drug mules are back using Lisbon airport. This is the message today as in just three days last week (Friday to Sunday) the PJ’s trafficking combat unit UNCTE detained three people bringing drugs into Portugal – all of them transporting cocaine that they had either swallowed or introduced into their bodies by other means.
A fourth man – a buyer from Guinea – was also caught red-handed
Explain reports, “the easing of flight restrictions introduced after the fall in the number of Covid cases has increased attempts to bring drugs into Portugal by air. This method had practically reduced to zero over the last 18 months – being substituted by trafficking via sea, containers or the use of private jets” (click here).
“A large part of the mules arrested up until the pandemic came on flights from Brazil. For months, flight connections were reduced to essential journeys only. But now that they have reopened, anyone can arrive at a Portuguese airport and request a 30-day tourist visa”.
The four men arrested – two at the airport with the drugs still inside them, the third at the point he delivered his load to the Guinean purchaser – are now all in preventive custody.
In all the cocaine confiscated came to 2.4 kilos.
