US$25m cocaine seized in Portugal in US-Trinidad and Tobago joint operation

An estimated US$25 million in cocaine was seized and three foreign nationals have been arrested in Portugal as part of a collaborative operation between the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) based at the US Embassy in Port of Spain.

A release from the embassy said the seizure and arrests occurred on June 14. It said it was the result of months of bilateral work among the DEA agents, officers of the TTPS' vetted unit, the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TUCO) and the Seaport Cooperation Project (SEACOP). SEACOP is a collaborative initiative with the European Union to fight illicit maritime trafficking.

“This is a major win for the United States and Trinidad and Tobago in our security cooperation to stop the illicit narcotics trade and protect our borders to make our communities safer," US Chargé d’Affaires Dr Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz said.

“I commend our local DEA agents, officers from the TTPS Vetted Unit, and TOCU for their diligence and professionalism. The United States will continue to support TT law enforcement agencies to address our common challenges through continuous cooperation, training, and resources.”

The release said the sailboat left Trinidad waters in early June carrying 1,660 kilogrammes of cocaine and was intercepted by the Portuguese Navy and the Portuguese Judicial Police off the Azores Archipelago in Portugal. Three crew members, between 43 and 51 years of age, were also arrested.

The embassy said the targeted seizure was part of Operation Vikings- a complex operation involving DEA agents in TT, Portugal, Spain, and Denmark and several law enforcement agencies in Portugal. It said the operation had been investigating the targeted drug-trafficking organisation for two years, and the seizure was the latest success of the ongoing operation.

It said the TTPS’s Vetted Unit and TOCU, which work closely with the DEA on investigations related to transnational organised crime, provided support which led to the seizure and arrests in Portuguese waters.

"The seizure represents the success in TT law enforcement efforts to focus on transnational drug trafficking that uses the Caribbean as a base of operations," the release said.

In March, TTPS and the DEA agents were able to seize 182.24 kilogrammes of cocaine with an estimated street value of $254 million, which left TT for St Martin. Five crew members were arrested in connection with the find.

In May 2023, the DEA and the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service assisted the TTPS and TOCU in arresting three TT nationals, seizing a Glock pistol and approximately 168 kilograms of cocaine, with a value of over $234 million.