Month: September 2014

Europol reported on 12th September 2014 that Spain’s Guardia Civil, working with Europol, have dismantled an organised criminal group responsible for the theft of high performance vehicles.

The operation, which began in October 2013, was coordinated by Europol and saw 26 people arrested (19 Spanish, 5 Bulgarians and 2 Moroccans) and 12 house searches conducted, resulting in the seizure of 20 vehicles, weapons and electronic equipment and tools used for the vehicle thefts.

The criminal network was made up of three distinctive cells: Bulgarian, Spanish and Moroccan. The Bulgarian cell used complex electronic devices during the vehicle thefts to deactivate the vehicle alarm systems. The cell would then transfer the vehicles to a warehouse in Madrid and bring in an expert from Valencia to forge the vehicle identification numbers (VINs).

Once the vehicles were prepared with false licence plates, VINs and documents, the Bulgarian cell enlisted Spanish drivers to transfer the vehicles to Bulgaria or Melilla (Morocco), paying them EUR 300 per trip. In Melilla, the Moroccan cell would receive the vehicles and sell them on.

On 9th^th September 2014 in a major international police operation led by the Bavarian Landeskriminalamt supported by Europol, 950 law enforcement officers in nine countries raided 138 properties and arrested 100 individuals, delivering a major blow to Eurasian mobile organised crime groups operating in Europe.

Two further individuals were indentified as the main targets and European Arrest Warrants have been issued for their arrests. These two suspects are thought to be responsible for the mass production and forgery of mainly Czech, Romanian and Bulgarian passports, identity cards and counterfeit drivers’ licences. These documents were used by hundreds of Eurasian criminals throughout Europe, to regularise their stays in the EU, claim welfare benefits and commit other offences, ranging from thefts and robberies to racketeering and violent crime.

As a result of yesterday’s coordinated action in the participating countries:

• 100 individuals were arrested (Austria 1; France 28; Germany 4; Greece 6; Portugal 1; Romania 1; Spain 49; Sweden 10)
• 138 properties were searched (Austria 4; France 35; Germany 37; Greece 5; Portugal 5; Spain 41; Sweden 11)

The following items were seized:

• 57 forged documents (Austria 1; France 5; Germany 13; Greece 2; Portugal 3; Romania 5; Spain 26; Sweden 2)
• Five firearms
• EUR 26 000
• Drugs (amphetamine and cannabis – 1.9 kg)
• 1200 packs of counterfeit cigarettes
• One stolen vehicle
• Over 300 pieces of jewellery and watches
• Burglary tools.

The action day also led to the identification of the perpetrators of 29 burglaries in Spain and at least three burglaries in Germany.

The two main suspects were charging between EUR 250 and 1500 per ID document they supplied, which was paid in advance by bank transfer through various financial service providers. The forgeries were sent by mail, and later by courier, to various recipients in several European countries. Up until April 2014, these two suspects are thought to have been responsible for dispatching at least 300 packets throughout Europe.

The operation was led by German law enforcement authorities, with Europol providing support since early 2013. This support included information and intelligence exchange and analysis, providing expertise, and financing of operational meetings. For yesterday’s action, Europol experts were present with mobile offices in Madrid, Munich and Paris. Authorities in the Czech Republic and Romania also supported the operation yesterday with real-time checks of information and intelligence.

Computer Security Seminars for Algarve Businesses and Residents

With cybercrime being the largest growing crime with an estimated annual global cost of  US$338 billion through fraud and lost time, it is important that we are more aware of the threats and what preventive steps can be taken to minimize the risk.

Safe Communities Algarve is therefore organizing in a conjunction with the Polícia Judiciária (Judicial Police) a series of Computer Security seminars for residents, the first two which will take place on 24^th and 30^th September 2014 in Quinta do Lago, Loule and Tavira respectively.

The key note speakers are Inspector Ricardo Valadas and Jim Litchko.  Ricardo is a cybercrime investigator from the Polícia Judiciária Cybercrime Unit and Jim Litchko, CISSP, computer security expert, author of six cybersecurity books, Johns Hopkins University professor from the USA.  Ricardo and Jim are renowned experts in cybercrime and cybersecurity in Portugal and the United States, respectively.  Both have conducted many presentations to international audiences both here and overseas, and their approaches are very practical with excellent interaction with audiences.

Topics to be covered include: work of the Judicial Police in investigating cybercrime in Portugal; work of the FCCN; technical developments; child pornography; cyber-attacks and preventing such attacks; types of on-line fraud; Ransomware and Phishing attacks; on-line transactions and the use of credit cards; and, cost-effective and practical preventative counter-measures.  Details of the program which may include other speakers will be published shortly.

We are pleased that there will be a representative from the Mayor of Loule’s office attending on 24^th and the Mayor of Tavira has been invited to attend the event on 30^th September.

The details and timings of the two events are as follows:

• 24^th September 1730   – 1930 hrs –  Conrad Hotel, Quinta do Lago
• 30^th September 1730  – 1930 hrs – Municipal Library, Biblioteco Municipal Alvaro de Campos, Tavira. 

The events are in English and entry is free. It is planned to devote around half of the seminar to questions and answers.

This is likely to be heavily subscribed and seating is limited. Attendance is on a first come first served basis so if you would like to reserve seats please contact Safe Communities Algarve using our contacts page or on 913045093. Entry is free.

 

 

It was reported on 10^th September 2014 that a joint investigation by the  Judicial Police (Portugal) and Spanish National Police led to the seizure of 1,300 kilograms (1.3 metric tonnes) of cocaine in Portugal. The information obtained resulted in two operations in two days resulting in the seizure of 44 backpacks filled with drugs. So far nine members of the organization, including three in Portugal and six in Spain have been arrested. The aim was to smuggle the drugs into Spain for distribution later on.

The investigation commenced in late 2013 and since its inception the investigations have focused on the dismantling of an organization dedicated to trafficking large quantities of cocaine and hashish based in Huelva. The information obtained during investigation resulted in surveillance being undertaken on 7 September in the area of ​​Altura near Vila Real San Antonio (Portugal), which was believed to be the staging point for the supply of a significant amount of cocaine to Spain.

At noon, the officers noticed the arrival of three vehicles with one occupant each. After parking the vehicles in a warehouse, police proceeded to identify and search the vehicles, finding in two of them a total of 20 blocks with five bags of cocaine with a weight of 600 kilos. The three subjects were immediately arrested in the warehouse car park for drug trafficking.

As a result of further investigations 24 similar backpacks deposited in an abandoned quarry near Faro, loaded with 700 kilograms of cocaine were also located. After this, six other members of the gang were arrested in Spain in Huelva and Seville.

The investigations was carried out by agents of the Narcotics Group of the police in Cartagena and UDYCO of Huelva Provincial Police in conjunction with the Judicial Police in Faro (Portugal).

The value of the drugs is estimated at €80 million.

Dr Luis Mota Carmo, Director of the Judical Police Portugal South stated “This network had its headquarters in Spain and that the arrests were a massive blow to the criminal organization”.

 

Comment

This is a massive seizure of cocaine by European standards one of the largest being in the UK in 2011 where 1.2 tons was found hidden on a boat with a street value in the UK of £300 million.

Interestingly one of the world’s largest seizures of cocaine took place on 1^st September in Peru (the largest supplier of cocaine) where 8.5 tons was seized. According to police this was destined to Spain and Belgium.

 

Lusa new agency have reported today that road users contacted by phone or by SMS to pay off debts allegedly owed to the Portuguese toll road management company Brisa are the potential victims of fraud, the latter company warned.

The statement said the company had learned of such contacts whereby the caller who claims to be from the company, informs the person that they owe money to the company and provides them with a bank account to pay this to or asks for bank account details.

“We would inform our users that these are fraudulent contacts, totally alien to this company and that might jeopardise the privacy and security of clients and harm their interests,” said Brisa, one of the main highway operators in Portugal.

Brisa added that the company only ever contacted clients by letter for the regularising of such debts and that it would be taking legal action over the incidents “in order to guarantee its own interests along with those of its clients.”

SCA Advice – If you are contacted in this way do not pass on any personal details and instead try and obtain the senders/callers number and report to police.

 

Law enforcement authorities from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Hungary, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom, supported by Europol and Eurojust, today contributed to simultaneous operations to stop the distribution of prescription-only counterfeit medicines in the European Union.

Today’s operations resulted in seizures of several million pills with an estimated value well in excess of EUR 10 million, a large amount of cash and several vehicles, including luxury models, and the freezing of more than EUR 7.5 million in bank accounts and assets. In addition, 12 suspects were arrested.

The law enforcement activities aimed to specifically counter the activities of the organised crime group (OCG) behind the supply and online distribution of counterfeit medicines – mainly erectile dysfunction pills – and their money laundering activities.

Following intelligence gathered during a criminal pharma case by the authorities in Spain that provided Europol with useful leads and that also assisted further investigations in Austria, France and the UK, several operational meetings were held to inform and exchange information with the concerned Member States and other involved countries. Eurojust organised a coordination meeting to discuss a common strategy among the authorities involved, including the establishment of a joint investigation team (JIT) among Spain, Austria, France and the UK and supported by the authorities in Cyprus, Hungary, and Slovakia, and common action days. Members of the JIT will now travel to other involved countries to facilitate the exchange of information.

Since the beginning of the investigation in September 2012, more than 300 000 pills with an estimated value of EUR 2 million have been seized in Austria alone. However, it is thought that this represents only one-fifth of the total transactions made by the OCG in Austria. In France, payments totalling EUR 9 million were identified as having been processed over three years. In Spain, counterfeit goods worth more than EUR 1.5 million have been seized and three people arrested. Over the last two years, the UK authorities have identified more than EUR 12 million in transactions involving counterfeit and unlicensed medicines. The Hungarian authorities were involved in a similar operation last year.

These latest operations were coordinated from Eurojust premises in The Hague. This facilitated the swift exchange of information, resolution of legal issues and the elaboration of a final overview of the results, tailor-made for the needs of the involved judicial authorities. At the same time, Europol provided valuable assistance by deploying a mobile office for real-time analysis and cross-checking of data on the spot. Simultaneously, experts and analysts from Europol assisted the police and provided forensic and analytical support during the action day.

The counterfeit medicines targeted by this operation are imported into the European Union from Asia and contain incorrect dosages and ingredients which pose a serious health hazard.