On 13th January at around 2320 hrs PSP Tavira detained a Portuguese citizen, aged 53 for possession of a prohibited weapon. Also seized were 6 rounds of 6.35 ammunition together with a knife with 8cm blade all found inside a vehicle in which the man was travelling. The detention of the person was made following a complaint of domestic violence where the suspect threatened to kill the family.
On 9th January 2014 a British National aged 47 years, wanted in Spain for hostage taking, extortion and robbery was arrested by SEF upon arrival at Faro Airport from England. He had previously been convicted and sentenced to 19 years imprisonment.
The PSP through the Department of Weapons and Explosives today destroyed a total of 2225 weapons comprising 1857 firearms and 368 bladed weapons.
The weapons destroyed were previously either declared as forfeited to the State in connection with criminal proceedings or were voluntarily surrendered by owners or finders.
This is the first destruction for 2014. In 2013 there were six destructions ( five in Lisbon and one in Porto) in which 16,695 weapons comprising 15,480 firearms and 1215 bladed weapons were destroyed.
On 2nd January 2013 a taxi driver shot a juvenile aged 17 years after failing to pay for a €7.50 taxi journey. The incident occoured in Caliços after three men including the juvenile refused to pay for the taxi journey and fled from the taxi. The taxi driver allegedly then drew a pistol and shot the fleeing youth in the abdomen.
The juvenile managed to escape from the scene and checked into the Centro de Saúde in Albufeira where doctors noticed a bullet lodged in his body. The GNR were called and the youth transferred to Faro Hospital where he underwent an operation. He is reported to be in serious condition. Following enquiries the taxi driver was identified, located and arrested by the Polícia Judiciária and appeared in court in Albufeira on Saturday 4th January.
On 29th December the PSP in Lisbon executed 25 search warrants resulting in the arrest of 22 persons in the process of selling heroin, cocaine and hashish in the areas of Bairro da Cruz Vemelha – Lumiar and Trafaria.
Those arrested comprised 19 men and 3 women aged from 17 to 63 years.
During the operation which was the culmination of an 8 month investigation, a total of 13 kgs of hashish; 693 gms of heroin and 93 gms of cocaine were seized. In addition also seized was € 12,398.38 in cash; 2 shotguns (shotgun); 2 pistols; 1 ballistic vest, 383 rounds of ammunition, 2 cars and various other equipment including computers associated with the network’s activities.
The traffickers carried out their activities close to a leisure centre and a pre-school and led to a feeling of insecurity within the neighbourhood and resulted in a number of complaints to police.
THE PSP consider that the arrests have resulted in the dismantlement of a properly organized network run by three men who counted on the collaboration of several individuals who assisted by direct sales to consumers, acting as lookouts at the point of sale, the transportation of narcotics to the point of sale, custody of the narcotics and the preparation and packaging. Until the arrests it is believed to be the most active drug trafficking network in the area.
Comment
An excellent and well executed operation and in terms of the number of arrests one of the largest conducted during 2013.