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U.S. Department of State
1996 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, March 1997

United States Department of State

Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs


PORTUGAL

I. Summary

Portugal is not a producer of cocaine or heroin, but it is an important transit point to the rest of Europe for cocaine from South America. The country's long coastline and infrequently patrolled waters around the Azorean islands, and a shortage of law enforcement resources encourage traffickers to use Portugal as a transshipment point. Portuguese law enforcement entities attribute the drop in the quantity of drugs seized in the first half of 1996 to their heightened vigilance; they believe this may have deterred some traffickers or caused them to change their smuggling methods. Portugal is a party to the 1988 UN Convention.

II. Status of Country

Portugal's significance in the international drug trade stems from its location as an entry point to the rest of Europe for heroin and cocaine. Open borders with other Western European countries facilitate the trafficking of heroin through the Netherlands and Spain, and of cocaine trafficking from Brazil. Although the size of the local drug user population is unknown, anecdotal information suggests it has increased in recent years. One indicator of this trend is the increased incidence of AIDS among intravenous drug users which has grown five fold over the last five years.

III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 1996

Policy Initiatives. Portuguese counternarcotics authorities demonstrated greater efforts at coordination. The Government of Portugal (GOP) organized a national coordination meeting of all relevant law enforcement agencies and departments; several regional meetings followed.

The National Institute of Advanced Criminal Science of the Judicial Police (PJ) conducted narcotics-related courses for officials from Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Guinea Bissau. The Public Security Police (PSP) also gave counternarcotics courses to various African officials. In December, Portugal and Spain signed a joint communique which provided for the creation of jointly manned police stations along the Portugal-Spain border with a focus on counternarcotics activities .

Enforcement Efforts. Portuguese authorities maintain close ties with most European Union narcotics forces, and with USG narcotics enforcement agencies.
Portuguese law enforcement authorities report that for the first half of 1996, the number of heroin arrests increased 44 percent and cocaine arrests were up 52 percent compared to the first half of 1995. Authorities made two arrests for ecstasy (MDMA) for the first time, indicating a troubling new development. GOP authorities' drug caseloads were up 45 percent in the same period; however, the amount of drugs actually seized declined 38 percent for heroin (from 40 kgs to 25 kgs) and 66 percent for cocaine (from 1,140 kgs to 389 kgs). Authorities are unsure of the reason for this decline, but speculate it is due to changes in smuggling methods.

Corruption. Authorities have reported no cases of corruption among Portuguese officials responsible for counternarcotics matters. Portugal has appropriate legislation to control public corruption and punish offenders.

Agreements and Treaties. As a signatory to the 1988 UN Convention, the GOP supports its goals and objectives. Portugal has an extradition treaty with the US dating from 1908. The USG authorized the extradition of a US citizen to Portugal to stand trial for drug trafficking. Portugal has not extradited its citizens to the US for similar offenses because under the Portuguese constitution, Portuguese nationals cannot be extradited to another country for any offense. Under recent Portugese case law, it is becoming almost impossible to get the extradition to the US of narcotics traffickers, even when they are not citizens of Portugal.

Drug Flow/Transit. Drug traffickers take advantage of Portugal's extensive, minimally patrolled coastline, open borders, and lack of police and intelligence resources. Most of the heroin seized in 1996 was found in light vehicles and in airplanes. Heroin transits Portugal from the Orient via Eastern Europe and the Baltics. Authorities seized cocaine from South America, particularly from Brazil and Argentina, from aircraft, vessels and light vehicles which transit Portugal. There is no known production of opium poppy in Portugal, nor is there any production of cocaine or heroin products.
Portugal closely monitors the import of chemicals that could be diverted to produce illicit drugs.

Demand Reduction. The GOP's National Drug Policy Council coordinates Portugal's demand reduction and treatment programs. Demand reduction has consisted mainly of a few government-run treatment centers and a small educational program. Many new private centers have opened in recent years, but it is unclear if they are meeting Portuguese addicts' treatment needs.

IV. Policy Initiatives and Programs

Bilateral Cooperation. Cooperation among US and Portuguese law enforcement entities is excellent, with frequent visits to Portugal by DEA officials for drug-related investigations. On two occasions in 1996, Portuguese officials traveled to the US to testify and assist in joint US-Portuguese counternarcotics investigations.

The Road Ahead. The GOP has indicated that it will increase its counternarcotics efforts. The 1997 state budget provides for several million dollars to procure fast coastal patrol boats to deter drug smuggling along Portugal's coast. The USG will assist Portuguese authorities with investigations, and will provide opportunities for coordination with GOP law enforcement officials.

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