Reports have mentioned that authorities in Lisbon have arrested an elderly couple aboard the cruise ship Marco Polo on accusations of smuggling cocaine. The suspects are now being held in preventive custody pending trial.
Namely, the Lisbon authorities arrested an couple on board of the cruise ship ‘Marco Polo’, since according accusations the couple smuggled cocaine. As stated by Portuguese authorities, the couple had approximately 9 kilos of cocaine within its four luggage. The value of the smuggling cocaine is estimated to reach the $2.5 million.
Moreover, the names of the accused couple and the ship were not released by Portugal’s National Drugs Trafficking Unit. Yet, British press has identified the name of the ship, as stated above.
The pair is believed to be of British nationality, and according to assumptions this was not their first luxury cruise.
It is believed that the couple was partnering with an organized network that uses this means to circumvent police surveillance at European airports.
In order to detain the couple, Portugal’s anti-trafficking agency collaborated with UK’s National Crime Agency to track the shipment and intercept the alleged smugglers.
The arrest occurred when the cruise vessel arrived in Lisbon.
Finally, the vessel left Tilbury in Essex on November 5 and voyaged to the West Indies and Azores. After the pair were arrested, the ship continued on its planned route and returned to the UK on December 8.
