Portugal has reached a worrying record in cocaine seizures, with 28 tonnes confiscated since the beginning of the year. This volume makes Portugal one of the main drug entry points in Europe. Authorities have identified the use of fast boats for transporting cocaine along the Portuguese coast, allowing for quick and discreet landings before the drug moves on to other European countries. In addition to the vessels, unsuspecting laboratories in Portuguese territory are being used to process and prepare the narcotics for distribution. International cartels are exploiting Portugal as a strategic point on the drug route, taking advantage of the country's geographic position on the European Atlantic coast.
World
Fast boats and unsuspecting laboratories: how cartels are turning Portugal into a drug gateway to Europe
SIC Notícias13 September 2026 at 20:41
Why this matters
Readers in Portugal are directly affected by this reality, as the country is becoming a priority target for European anti-trafficking authorities, and the growing activity of cartels may increase violence and organized crime in the national territory. This development comes in the wake of a global increase in cocaine trafficking in Europe.
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