In a statement, the European Union Agency for Judicial Cooperation (Eurojust), which coordinated the international investigation, said that “23 kilos of heroin, two marijuana plantations, four narco-boats and more than 150 thousand euros in cash” were also seized.

Authorities “intercepted two boats with drugs before they could leave”, in an operation carried out in Viana do Castelo and Galicia, Spain, mobilizing 200 agents and which led to the arrest of 28 suspects in Spain, he adds.

Due to cooperation between Portuguese and Spanish authorities, coordinated by Eurojust, “all members of the group were identified and sufficient evidence was gathered to launch an international operation that dismantled the criminal group”, indicates the agency for judicial cooperation.

“The criminal group manufactured illegal boats that were used to transport large quantities of drugs to Spain. He was also involved in drug trafficking”.

According to Eurojust, “the criminal group set up several warehouses in Spain and Portugal, where boats that are illegal in Spain were manufactured in Portugal”.

“The boats were then sold to other criminal groups, who used them to transport drugs such as heroin and marijuana to Spain”, he describes.

The group “also used its own boats and crews to transport drugs to Spain.”

The investigation began at the end of 2022, when authorities “learned about the production and sale of narco-boats by the group”, which was “active in Portugal and Spain”.

That is why a joint investigation team (JIT) was created at Eurojust “to allow Portuguese and Spanish authorities to investigate the organization together”.

The team “enabled authorities to exchange information and evidence directly and quickly, cooperate in real time, and conduct joint operations.”