
	 Portugal Seizes More Than 6,000 Kilograms of Drugs ...

OTC  4/3/97 4:34 AM   

 LISBON (April 2) XINHUA - Portuguese police seized a total of 6,218  kilograms of narcotics in 1996 and arrested 3,724 people suspected of  drug trafficking, a police report said today. 
   The report said the drugs included 811.5 kilograms of cocaine, 46.7  kilograms of heroin and 5,324 kilograms of marijuana. 
   Among the drug-trafficking-related suspects, 449 were foreigners and 2,  926 were Portuguese drug addicts, the report said. 
   Earlier police reports show that drug users in Portugal have exceeded  100,000 at present, making Portugal one of the leading countries in the  European Union with the largest number of drug users. 
   The number is still on the rise with a growing population of young drug  addicts, police officials said. 
   The Portuguese government has launched an anti-drug campaign while  beefing up anti-drug measures. 
   Due to its location on the Iberian peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean  and the European continent, Portugal has been an easy way for drug  trafficking from other parts of the world to Europe.  Enditem 
   03/04/97 02:20 GMT 
    Copyright 1997

