A British national has been arrested after a high-speed boat carrying 3.7 tonnes of cocaine was intercepted off southern Portugal.
The vessel was stopped on Sunday, October 11, around 80 nautical miles south of Faro, approximately 150km offshore.
Portugal’s National Maritime Authority said a pursuit began after the occupants ignored an order to stop.
According to the authority, the suspected drug boat made evasive manoeuvres before a collision occurred during the chase.
Officers later found one of the three occupants seriously injured.
The Spanish man was transferred to another vessel for first aid before being evacuated by a Spanish search-and-rescue helicopter.
The helicopter’s medical team confirmed his death. The maritime authority identified the boat’s occupants as two Spanish nationals and one Briton.
The surviving Spaniard and British national were both arrested.
The interception formed part of Operation Mare Nostrum, a six-month investigation targeting a criminal organisation suspected of bringing large quantities of cocaine into Europe using high-speed boats.
Portuguese judicial police, the navy and maritime police took part alongside Italy’s Guardia di Finanza.
The investigation also received support from Spain’s Guardia Civil, the Portuguese air force and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre for narcotics.
