A 46-year-old Andorran resident arrested at Lisbon Airport with over 10kg of cocaine hidden in luggage while
transiting from Colombia to Spain; held in custody as investigators probe organized crime links.
Key Points
- PSP arrested 46-year-old Andorran at Lisbon Airport with 10kg cocaine in luggage from Colombia.
- Targeted checks on Colombia flights led to swift detection; man charged with large-scale trafficking.
- Suspected 'mule' for organized network; probe ongoing, no confirmed ties.
- Separate Andorra case: 27-year-old tourist fined and released for <1g cocaine possession.
A 46-year-old Andorran resident remains in provisional custody in a Lisbon prison following his arrest on Wednesday at Humberto Delgado Airport, Portugal's main international gateway. Portuguese Public Security Police (PSP) officers uncovered just over 10 kilograms of cocaine stashed in his luggage as he transited from Colombia toward Spain.
The seizure occurred during targeted checks on flights from Colombia, a major cocaine source country. Travelling alone, the man fit a typical drug courier profile, and agents swiftly detected the packages, leading to charges of large-scale drug trafficking. He displayed clear signs of distress when confronted, sources indicated.
Portuguese investigators view him as a "mule" for an organized network supplying cocaine across Europe and are probing potential ties to groups active in the country, though no connections have been confirmed. Details on concealment methods or his statements remain unavailable, and the probe is at an early stage. Whether he has cooperated, which might influence sentencing, is unclear.
Lisbon Airport serves as a frequent entry point for South American cocaine into Europe, with such "textbook" arrests commonplace under PSP oversight.
In Andorra, the man holds no serious prior convictions but has faced brief prison terms related to alcohol and drug problems. Sources suggest financial pressures may have prompted his involvement, though no motive has been verified.
Portugal's strict narcotics laws impose harsh penalties for trafficking large quantities, treated separately from any organized crime links—both offenses carrying substantial sentences.
Separately, Andorran border police at the Baladrà post detained a 27-year-old tourist on Saturday afternoon during a routine check. Officers found less than one gram of cocaine on her, intended for personal use, and seized the drugs. She received a swift judicial penalty: a fine and suspended prison term, then released.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: