Portugal is becoming a European drug hub

Portugal’s record-breaking cocaine smuggling in 2024 has cemented its position as a major hub on drug trafficking routes to Europe.
According to Artur Vaz, director of Portugal’s National Anti-Drug Unit, Portugal seized a record 22.5 tons of cocaine in 2024, more than double the 9.5 tons seized in 2019 and up from 16.3 tons seized in 2022.
The scale of the seizures shows that Portugal is not just a transit point, but also a storage and distribution center for cocaine destined for other European markets.
Authorities indicate that Latin American criminal groups, such as Brazil’s First Capital Command (Primeiro Comando da Capital – PCC), have adopted new maritime routes, shifting toward the ports in Portugal and Spain. This change comes in response to heightened surveillance and improved law enforcement cooperation in traditional entry hubs like Rotterdam and Antwerp in the Netherlands and Belgium.
“There will always be a displacement effect. If a port implements effective security measures, we will see shipments being redirected elsewhere, including within Europe,” Sjoerd Top, director of the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics), told.
The increase in cocaine seizures underscores Portugal’s strategic importance in international drug trafficking networks.
The increase in seized quantities is largely due to the high level of production and the increasing number of criminal groups operating in European markets, said Silvia Isabel Figuerado, a researcher on organized crime and terrorism at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations.
Portugal’s strategic location as a gateway to Europe from South America makes it a key point on transatlantic drug trafficking routes. Portugal’s large trafficking community strengthens ties with trafficking networks.
With major ports such as Sines and Lisbon, the country offers major entry points for drug shipments, while its location relative to Latin America and West Africa (both vital transit areas for drug trafficking) further strengthens Portugal’s role.
These factors collectively give drug trafficking organizations a logistical advantage and reinforce Portugal’s importance in the global distribution of drugs.
Media reports indicate that the PCC, which plays a dominant role in Brazil’s drug trade and operates in Paraguay and Bolivia, has expanded international activities into Portugal. The shift appears to be a direct response to increased controls at other European entry points.