Lisbon, Sep 11 (IANS) The Portuguese Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested three men in an anti-drug operation and seized 1.3 tonnes of cocaine with an estimated street value of 80 million euros, authorities said Wednesday.

The drug seizure took place in Potugal’s Algarve region, some 280 km south of Lisbon, as part of an international operation in coordination with Spanish police, Xinhua quoted a PJ official as saying.

Investigations involoving the Portuguese National Police Corp also led to the arrest of six people in Spain.

According to Spanish official Cirilio Duran of the Murcia Police force, the men arrested in Algarve were of Spanish nationality.

The nine suspects, aged between 29 and 50, would remain in pre-trial detention, the PJ said.