Guinea-Bissau’s Judicial Police on Tuesday intercepted a passenger carrying four kilograms of cocaine, in the latest operation targeting international drug trafficking networks.
The suspect was arrested at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport as he prepared to board a TAP flight bound for Lisbon. According to the Judicial Police (PJ), the drugs were concealed in a false bottom inside two pieces of luggage. Initial tests confirmed the substance as cocaine, hidden using a sophisticated method designed to evade security checks. The intended route was Lisbon with a connection to Paris.
The man, already under surveillance for repeated trips on the same route, was scheduled to appear before judicial authorities on Wednesday for questioning and possible pre-trial measures, the public prosecutor’s office said.
The arrest follows several recent drug seizures in the country. In February, two airport employees were detained for facilitating the smuggling of more than two kilograms of cocaine to Lisbon. In September 2024, authorities intercepted a private jet from Venezuela carrying 2.6 tonnes of cocaine — one of the largest hauls in recent years.
The suspects in that case were later extradited to the United States.
The PJ said its ongoing investigation aims to identify possible accomplices and trace the supply chain as part of its crackdown on organised international drug networks.
AC/sf/lb/as/APA