Police target music star in drug sting
Nininho Vaz Maia is currently one of Portugal’s most popular musical artists and one the main public Portuguese figures with a Roma background.
Popular Portuguese singer Nininho Vaz Maia, 37, was the subject of a police search Tuesday morning, as part of an extensive operation by the Portuguese Judiciary Police (PJ) targeting an international drug trafficking ring.
While no arrests were made at his residence and no drugs were found, the artist has been formally named a suspect in the ongoing investigation.
The operation, known as SKYS4ALL, is being led by the PJ’s National Unit for Combating Drug Trafficking and is overseen by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Loures.
According to CNN Portugal, with confirmation from SIC and PÚBLICO, PJ agents entered Vaz Maia’s home in Montijo at around 7 a.m. Tuesday as part of coordinated residential and non-residential searches across Greater Lisbon, including the South Bank of the Tagus River.
Authorities confirmed that cocaine was being trafficked from Latin America, primarily Brazil, into Portugal by air, and then distributed throughout Europe.
The drugs were found in abandoned suitcases and packages at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport.
According to police, members of the criminal group would collect these bags.
The operation has led to the arrest of two individuals and the formal identification of three suspects, one of whom is Nininho Vaz Maia.
Police sources emphasized that the singer is not a central figure in the investigation. “Nininho is not among the main targets, nor is he the center of the SKYS4ALL operation,” a law enforcement source told Portuguese news agency Lusa.
However, CNN Portugal reported that he is suspected of possible money laundering connected to drug trafficking activities.
Money laundering, defined as attempting to insert illicit gains into the legal financial system, is punishable by two to twelve years in prison under Portuguese law—potentially more in Vaz Maia’s case, due to his criminal record.
No illegal substances were recovered from the singer's property; only documents were reportedly seized.
In a statement sent to journalists, the singer’s communications team maintained his innocence:
“Searches were carried out, and Nininho was brought in to give a statement, cooperating from the very first moment. It is important to make absolutely clear that Nininho is innocent, and we fully trust the justice system. We are confident that everything will be clarified shortly.”
Background and Legal History
Born Avelino Abel Vaz Maia in Lisbon’s low-income Picheleira neighborhood, Nininho Vaz Maia is one of Portugal’s best-known performers, blending flamenco, pop, and romantic ballads.
Son of a Romani father (also named Avelino) and a non-Romani mother, his story of rising from poverty and past legal troubles has earned him a loyal fan base.
In March 2025, he sold out two concerts at Lisbon’s MEO Arena and appeared as a judge on The Voice Kids.
But this isn’t his first encounter with the justice system. In 2012, he served a period of house arrest following involvement in a physical altercation.
It was during that time, in 2014, that he rose to prominence through viral social media performances, ankle monitor visibly strapped to his leg.
Vaz Maia has frequently spoken about overcoming hardship and using music as a vehicle for redemption. His debut album Raízes went platinum, propelling him to headline major venues in Lisbon and Porto.
Attempts to reach the artist or his spokesperson for further comment have been unsuccessful. The investigation by the Judiciary Police is ongoing.