PJ makes biggest ever seizure of synthetic drugs

In a statement, the Judicial Police (PJ) said today, that through the Criminal Investigation Department of Madeira, it made the biggest ever seizure of synthetic drugs.

The police force states that “with the collaboration of three GNR (Madeira National Guard) kinotechnical teams, it carried out a police operation to combat drug trafficking, to fulfil three home search warrants and one non-home search warrant, in Câmara de Lobos and Funchal, which culminated in the arrest, in flagrante delicto, of a 34-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, strongly suspected of committing the crime of drug trafficking.”

After months of investigation, during the operation, “various types of narcotic product were seized, including around 30kg of synthetic cannabinoids (bloom) and cannabis leaf, a quantity that, on the illicit market, would correspond to around 50,000 individual doses.”

The PJ emphasises that “at the regional level and since the opening of the Madeira extension of the Scientific Police Laboratory, it was the largest ever seizure of a narcotic product of synthetic origin.”

“Two top-of-the-range vehicles, more than five thousand euros in cash and a vacuum packaging machine were also seized.”

The detainees will be brought before the Funchal Judicial Court for initial questioning and the application of coercive measures.

For those who may not be aware, the synthetic marijuana commonly produced should never be considered equivalent to genuine cannabis. Synthetic “marijuana” may contain analogs of different components of real cannabis, but these are quite dangerous and their effects can include psychotic episodes. It is very cheap to make and, thus, is often marketed on the street to homeless populations. There have been instances where people have gone psychotic and tried to rip their faces off, or faces of other people. Stick to real cannabis and not these designer drugs which have uncertain ingredients and effects.

By JoeT from Algarve on 25 Oct 2025, 13:02