The Portugal Post reported in July 2026 that two foreign nationals were arrested in separate operations at Lisbon Airport.
One case involved about 17.6 kilograms of cannabis and a 36-year-old American man. The other involved cannabis resin, or hashish, in the checked bag of a 28-year-old foreign woman, whose nationality is not given. Both are reported to be held in preventive detention, and the Judicial Police drug-trafficking unit is named as the investigating body.
Neither person is named. The report is a roundup with practical advice for foreign residents, so the case details are brief, and we were not able to confirm the American's case in a second source. The amounts point to trafficking, not personal use.
Why it matters: Portugal has decriminalized personal drug use, but this does not cover carrying large quantities through an airport.
Source: The Portugal Post, 2026-07-01. Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting. An arrest or charge is not proof of guilt.