A court in Praia, the capital of Cabo Verde, has ordered 11 of 20 suspects held in custody before trial in a drug-trafficking and money-laundering case that reaches into the police and the prison service. The Attorney General’s Office (PGR), the state prosecution service, announced the ruling on Monday, 9 November 2026.
Key Facts
- Who. Twenty suspects, among them four National Police officers, five prison guards and one senior public official.
- What. Eleven are in pre-trial detention; nine are released under conditions such as suspension from duty.
- Charges. Suspects are under investigation for high-risk drug trafficking, money laundering and criminal association; none is convicted.
- When. Arrests came on Tuesday, 3 November; the ruling was announced on Monday, 9 November 2026.
- Next. Prosecutors say the inquiry continues and could identify further suspects.
What the Court Decided
The criminal investigation court in Praia ordered pre-trial detention for 11 of the 20 suspects. The other nine were released under conditions, the PGR said.
Depending on each case, the nine must report weekly to the Judiciary Police (PJ), Cabo Verde’s criminal investigation force, and may not contact their co-suspects. Some must also hand in their passports and stay in the country.
Jobs and Access Restricted
The court also limited what some of the nine may do at work. A suspect linked to hospital management is barred from managing a hospital, reaching pharmacy stocks or controlling medicines.
A suspect from the Guarda Fiscal, a state service with airport and customs duties, is suspended, banned from Praia International Airport and customs sites, and must hand in the service weapon. Suspects who are National Police officers are suspended, shut out of police systems and databases, and placed under daily monitoring.
A suspect from the road transport directorate (DGTR) is suspended and cut off from vehicle licensing and registration systems. Suspects tied to the prison system are suspended, barred from the Praia Central Prison and every other prison, and must hand in weapons and badges.
The court ordered employers to be told of each decision so they can weigh administrative or disciplinary steps. Hospital and road transport suspects must also hand in their professional credentials.
How the Case Grew
Operation Shark began on Thursday, 16 July 2026, with 12 house searches in Praia neighbourhoods including Fazenda, Palmarejo, Craveiro Lopes and Plateau. The PJ detained 12 people and said it was targeting a criminal structure active for more than 15 years.
Investigators seized 1.1627 kilograms of cocaine, 2,048,269 Cabo Verdean escudos (about US$20,900) and €770 (about US$864), which the PJ called strongly indicated to come from crime. We convert at the escudo’s fixed rate of 110.265 per euro and the EUR/USD rate of about 1.12 on 9 November.
The second phase on Tuesday, 3 November brought 20 more arrests and ten home searches. Officers found a shotgun, a 6.35 mm pistol, ammunition, cannabis, cocaine and two vehicles, the PJ said.
The PJ also said some of the detainees were already known to the authorities and had earlier convictions for other crimes. The investigation is led by the Central Department of Penal Action, the prosecutors’ central unit for criminal cases.
What It Means for You
For readers in the United States, the case matters because the suspects include officers whose jobs cover Praia’s airport, customs and prisons. The official statements describe no disruption at the airport, and the bans apply to individual suspects only.
The ruling comes days before the presidential vote on Sunday, 15 November 2026, which our Cabo Verde election hub follows. For background, see who holds power in Cabo Verde.
What Is Not Known
The PGR statement does not name the suspects or say which of them were jailed and which were released with restrictions. It also gives no date for formal charges or a trial.
Every suspect is presumed innocent until a court convicts them. The PGR says the inquiry will try to identify other possible participants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Operation Shark?
It is a Judiciary Police (PJ) investigation in Praia into alleged high-risk drug trafficking, money laundering and criminal association, launched on 16 July 2026. Its second phase brought 20 arrests on 3 November.
How many suspects are in custody?
The court ordered pre-trial detention for 11 of the 20 suspects. The other nine face non-custodial measures, several of them suspensions from their jobs.
Have the suspects been convicted?
No, they are suspects under investigation and no trial date has been announced. They are presumed innocent until a court rules.
Sources: Attorney General’s Office of Cabo Verde (PGR) statement of 9 November 2026; Judiciary Police (PJ) statements on the first phase of 16 July and the second phase of 3 November 2026; the escudo’s fixed euro rate; EUR/USD rate of 9 November 2026.
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