[1/4] Police gather drugs ahead of burning six tonnes of cocaine, hashish and other substances to mark the United Nations' International Day Against Drug Abuse, in Lisbon, Portugal, June 26, 2023. REUTERS/Miguel PereiraLISBON, June 26 (Reuters) - Portuguese police on Monday burned six tonnes of cocaine, hashish and other substances to mark the United Nations' international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking at a time the illegal trade is booming worldwide. Sousa said 11 tonnes of cocaine, 30 tonnes of hashish and smaller amount of other types of drugs have been seized in Portugal so far in 2023, already above the amounts seized last year as a whole. He said most of the cocaine was trafficked from Latin America and the Caribbean, while the hashish came from Morocco. Sousa said Portuguese authorities needed more resources to tackle the surge as the southern European nation, facing the Atlantic Ocean, was a key entry point of drugs into the European continent.

---

Persons: Miguel Pereira LISBON, Rui Sousa, Sousa, Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Police, Nations, REUTERS, United Nations Office, Drugs, Portuguese, Thomson Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, America, Caribbean, Morocco, Europe, European