Guinea-Bissau’s Judicial Police (PJ) arrested a Luso-Guinean citizen on 11 November 2025 after he was found carrying seventy capsules of cocaine at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport, police sources told APA.
According to the national anti-drug unit, the suspect was preparing to board a TAP flight to Lisbon when he was intercepted. Officers discovered he had ingested the 70 capsules — a total of 801.9 grams of cocaine — following intelligence-led screening during passenger checks. The suspect has been referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for questioning and the application of the appropriate coercive measures.
The operation comes amid intensified efforts to combat international drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau.
In September, the PJ announced the arrest of another suspect at Osvaldo Vieira Airport as he attempted to board a TAP flight bound for Lisbon. Nearly four kilograms of cocaine were found hidden in the false bottoms of two suitcases — a sophisticated method intended to evade detection. The itinerary included a connection in Portugal en route to Paris.
That arrest followed several incidents highlighting the continued activity of trafficking networks in the country. In early February, two airport employees were detained for facilitating the shipment of more than two kilograms of cocaine to Lisbon. In September 2024, the authorities intercepted a private aircraft from Venezuela carrying 2.6 tonnes of cocaine — one of the largest seizures recorded. The suspects were later extradited to the United States.
The PJ says the ongoing investigation aims to identify possible accomplices of the recently arrested courier and dismantle the broader supply chain as part of its crackdown on organised drug trafficking networks.
AC/lb/as/APA