On 24th July 2014, the GNR who had been investigation a case of domestic violence, visited a property in Quarteira and arrested a person for the illegal possession of firearms.
A total of two revolvers, a hunting rifle, a shotgun, an airgun and various types of ammunition pus a knife and baton were seized.
On 25th July 2014 a 46 year old man was arrested by the GNR in Portimao in the area of Alvor for suspected drug dealing.
During an anti-drug operation in the area the GNR discovered 1635 doses of hashish; 2.3 gms of MDMA (ecstasy) and 2.4 gms of cannabis in his house and in a car.
On 23rd July 2014 the Maritime Police during an operation at Rocha da Baixinha Maccente, Albufeira apprehended 16 hawkers, 8 of whom were found to be unlicensed.
One of them a 30 year old Brazilian reportedly was selling swimwear using an ATM card reader/terminal. She was employed by a nearby company but had gone to the beach to sell various swimwear items. The 8 unlicensed hawkers were find between €25 and €2500 euros and some 1000 items including watches, sunglasses, accessories and towels were seized.
On 24th July 2014 a security guard patrolling a tourist area in Lagos was arrested by the GNR for not having a license. The security guard is aged 22 years and should have obtained a license issued by the Ministry of Internal Administration.
The criminal investigation unit of PSP Faro District Command,following a 6 week investigation have apprehended four youths aged 19 to 22 years for damaging the windscreens of over 100 vehicles using a gas gun firing lead pellets.
The damage took place in June involving vehicles from Vila Real de Santa Antonio and Tavira. The operation leading to the identification of the suspects involved two house searches in Monte Gordo during which a moped and alcohol believed to have been stolen was seized. A small amount of drugs was also seized.
The PSP police has launched its child safety bracelets scheme. The aim of this is that by wearing a bracelet should a child go missing and is found the finder can contact the police and through giving the special code on the bracelet the child can be reunited with their parents. The bracelets are available at all 7 PSP stations in the Algarve and work in any country in Europe with a 112 emergency number.
It is recommended that the bracelets be worn for those up to the age of 12 years, whether the child is a tourist, visitor or resident. The bracelets are available until 30th September 2014. Upon issuing the bracelet, the details of the child and parents can be registered on the data base at the police station or later on-line. Some 30,000 have been issued to date.
Bracelets are being handed out at airports by the PSP on a periodic basis.
It was reported on 22nd July 2014 that the Judicial Police, through the National Anti-Corruption Unit (UNCC), in collaboration with the Maritime Police, under International Cooperation and in compliance with a request of the authorities of the Republic of Ireland, participated in an investigation into an international organized group trying to smuggle tobacco yu using a merchant ship.
The operation, which mobilized many inspectors of the Judicial Police throughout the territory, was triggered after several months of investigation and involved, among other countries, Slovenia, place of shipment of merchandise, Portugal and the Republic of Ireland, the country of destination and landing.
The operation culminated in the arrest of some of the crew members of vessel, the seizure of the vessel “MV Shingle” operating under the Moldovan flag on the date of the seizure, as well as 32 million cigarettes and about 4 tons of tobacco for hookah, valued at 14 million Euros.
The international organized group is composed of citizens of the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the twelve ship’s crew are Ukrainian nationality. This is the largest seizure of contraband tobacco this year in Europe.
PSP Lagos recently conducted an operation resulting in the arrest of three foreigners aged , 21, 20 and 18, for trafficking in narcotics.
These arrests came as a result of a two month investigation by the Lagos Police to eradicate drug trafficking in the city of Lagos. During the investigation it was possible to identify the suspects as regular suppliers of narcotics to consumers that city.
The suspects were intercepted during the execution of a search warrant obtained from the by Judicial Authority. As a result a total of 125 doses of heroin, 75 doses of cocaine, about 1030 €, 1 car, 1 computer, 13 mobile phones, 2 cameras, 2 precision balances and miscellaneous cutting narcotic product were seized.
The Judicial Police Officers in the South of the Country have, following an investigation originating from a complaint, identified and arrested a man in the Eastern Algarve suspected of child sexual abuse.
The man aged 33 years took advantage of his family relationship with the victim who is under 13 years old, involving acts of a sexual nature with her.
The man will appear before the judicial authorities for application of measures pending trial.
It has been reported by Europol that on 14 July 2014, Portuguese law enforcement authorities, with the support of Europol, dismantled an organised criminal group of West African and Portuguese nationals suspected of trafficking young mostly Nigerian women to Portugal and other EU countries in order to exploit them through forced prostitution.
The EUROPOL report adds that seven suspects were arrested in Portugal and seven house searches carried out. Mobile phones, computers and tablets and other significant evidentiary material relevant to the investigation were seized including a false passport.
These results are part of the long-running ‘Operation NAIRA’, an investigation into human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, led by the Portuguese Immigration Service (SEF). The investigation has been focusing on an organised crime network which trafficked young African females, from West Africa, to Portugal, France and Spain where they were forced into prostitution.
The victims of this particular criminal group are generally young Nigerian women from Benin City (Edo State) who are recruited in their places of origin, from where their trips are organised. Members of the criminal network in Portugal take care of logistics such as contacting the victims, providing accommodation and ID documents. The women often travel with forged travel documents or sometimes no documents at all.
On arrival at their destinations, most of the women identify themselves verbally as minors originating in Nigeria, Guinea and Mali and claim asylum (as allegedly instructed by their traffickers). They are then placed in shelters from where they later abscond and disappear. Victims are subsequently moved to other EU countries by the criminal group. The trafficking process for these vulnerable victims is characterised by threats against the victims and often includes debt bondage, the use of threats against the victims and/or their relatives, physical and sexual violence, and the use of “voodoo” rituals.
Europol actively supported this human trafficking operation and provided operational analytical support throughout the investigation to the countries involved. This included facilitating information exchange and analysis, organising an operational meeting at Europol and delivering real-time cross-checks of all data gathered in the course of the field action through the deployment of a Europol mobile office and an Europol analyst in Portugal.