A PJ source explained to the Lusa news agency that neither the Portuguese port where the National Unit for Combating Drug Trafficking (UNCTE) located and seized the cocaine nor the port of origin has been identified, as the investigation is still ongoing.

The PJ added that the investigation, dubbed “Operation Courage,” began recently as part of international police cooperation.

The “sea chest” scheme involves divers attaching fibreglass containers to the ship’s hull; these are later removed in the same manner at the ports where the vessel docks.

The PJ stated that, based on the evidence gathered, various investigative actions were carried out to collect proof and halt the illicit activity; this required the assistance of the Maritime Police’s Forensic Diving Group.

The PJ highlighted that this modus operandi “is already well known and increasingly used by various criminal organisations seeking to ensure the anonymity of their members and guarantee greater security during drug transport, thereby attempting to evade port inspections.”

Criminal organisations retrieve the narcotics by using divers to open the external grates of the “sea chest” and access the waterproof bags containing the cocaine.

This concealment method allows for the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean without the knowledge or involvement of the ship’s crew, as the drugs are located underwater.

No arrests have yet been made in connection with “Operation Courage,” and investigations are continuing to determine the details of the criminal network.