Year: 2019

Prime Minister António Costa has reiterated “the call for a national mobilization” to continue to change the attitude and behaviour towards the forest and rural fires during a biweekly debate on “Strategy and Management of Rural Fires”, in the Assembly of the Republic.

This change is “fundamental for the revitalization of the interior, mitigation of climate change for future generations”, he stressed.

The Prime Minister recalled that “in 2017, the Portuguese society recognized the limitations of a combat-centred system, which coexisted with a self-reliant landscape and where risky behaviour occurred”.

A new consensus was created that “has given priority to structural reform of the forest and preventive action on measures centred on combat”.

António Costa said that because of the climate change that “increases the danger and frequency of fires, we will only be less vulnerable if we change the landscape, if we ensure the active management of the forest and the interfaces with the villages and if we change behaviour, regarding burning of uncut vegetation and piles of debris that cause more than half of the fires’.

Structural measures

If in 2018 there was a ‘44% reduction in the number of fires and a 68% reduction in the area burned compared to the average of the previous 10 years’, this should not give the country a sense of security because ‘structural risk persists’.

António Costa emphasized that “prevention and fighting can only contribute to gaining some time for the forestry sector to reform and structural measures produce results”, so “postponing structural measures is postponing sustained results”.

The structural measures are the reform of the reform of the forest approved by the Government in 2016, one of which – “the extension of the simplified cadastre model to the whole country, after the positive results achieved in the pilot project that we have already executed” – is still awaiting parliamentary approval.

Point of situation

The Prime Minister took stock of the preventive actions that reinforce the resilience of the territory and of the infrastructures, of which the Safe Villages and Safe Persons program, which prepared more than 1863 settlements, was highlighted, and 1430 local security officers were identified and identified 1442 shelter locations.

António Costa also mentioned “the reform of the forest fire prevention and control model, bringing these two activities closer together, focusing on the professionalization and training of agents, and promoting their progressive specialization”.

The Prime Minister pointed out that there was also a “significant qualification of instruments for anticipating risk scenarios, interpretation and meteorological information, fire analysis” “in decision support cells at different levels of command”.

Experts from Europol’s Intellectual Property Crime Coordinated Coalition – IPC3 supported the Italian NAS Carabinieri and the Tribunal of Darmstadt in Germany, in the arrest of 20 individuals and the seizure of 150 000 litres of fake olive oil. The criminals, who raked in up to € 8 million every year in criminal profit, modified the colour of low quality oils to sell them on the Italian and German markets as extra virgin olive oil.

The investigation began with the identification of a criminal organisation suspected of tampering with large quantities of sunflower oil in Italy. The gang made this poor quality oil look like extra virgin olive oil by adding chlorophyll, beta-carotene and soya oil. After this process, the suspects sold the counterfeit oil on the German market, trying to sell it to restaurant owners.

The activities at this oil mill were carried out in unsanitary conditions. While some of the workers were responsible for the production and packaging of the product, the ones with bigger credit worthiness delivered the fake oil in lorries every two weeks.

Once in Germany, the counterfeit product was stored in logistics companies waiting to be distributed onto the German market. In some instances, the fake olive oil completely replaced the genuine one.
20 house searches were carried out in Italy and Germany and a total of 150 000 litres of fake olive oil seized at different locations, including five lorries transporting 23 000 litres of counterfeit oil each.
It is estimated that the suspects gained around €8 million every year, taking into account that they acquired one million litres of sunflower oil every year for approximately one million euros, and they sold the counterfeit product between € 5 and €10 per litre.

According to Europol pickpocketing has established itself as an ubiquitous phenomenon, driving crime numbers and affecting the perceived security of citizens all over Europe.

Although sometimes still considered petty crime, a huge share of the offences are committed by highly professional groups, who use their mobility across borders to challenge established law enforcement practices and often gain millions of illegal profit. While the group leaders use this money to finance a luxury lifestyle, many of the acting pickpockets, among them also minors, are exploited “foot soldiers” and not seldom victims of trafficking of human beings.

It has, more than ever, become necessary for law enforcement to coordinate and cooperate on an international level, focussing on the structures of the groups, including instigators and facilitators as well as carrying out financial investigations with the aim to identify beneficiaries and recover assets.

As a follow-up to previous conferences, Europol once again hosted and supported the European Pickpocketing Conference, organised and conducted by Germany’s Munich Police Headquarters, from 6 to 8^th of May at Europol’s headquarters in The Hague. More than 170 experts from police, prosecution offices and universities, representing Europol as well as the following 23 European countries participated in the event: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Chile also sent two delegates to support the European countries in tackling this phenomenon. More and more offenders are travelling to Europe from outside the continent to commit property crime, which is why the Chilean presence was of great value for the European pickpocketing investigators.

In an effort to combat organised pickpocketing crime, participants shared experience gained from investigations conducted against mobile organised crime groups in their respective countries. Several operations against specific groups of pickpockets were presented, displaying not only the need for, but also the success of tight collaboration between the European states affected. The participants also exchanged knowledge in several workshops on different pickpocketing-related issues. Among the topics were best practice tactics, prevention and technological innovations, but also more abstract subjects focussing on psychological aspects, such as new approaches to behavioural science. Along with the presentations and discussions, some officers took part in a hands-on workshop that was carried out in the streets Amsterdam.

The aim of the conference was to facilitate and encourage an even stronger international cooperation. All participants agreed to further strengthen existing networks for exchanging information and to support each other in investigations, operations and regarding strategic approaches.

 

O Ministro da Administração Interna, Eduardo Cabrita, e o Secretário de Estado das Florestas e do Desenvolvimento Rural, Miguel Freitas, assinaram um despacho que proíbe a realização de queimadas e de queimas de sobrantes de exploração entre 11 e 14 de maio de 2019, nos distritos de Beja, Bragança, Castelo Branco, Évora, Faro, Guarda, Lisboa, Portalegre, Santarém e Setúbal

A proibição resulta:

Das informações do Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera sobre o agravamento do risco de incêndio para a globalidade do território do Continente; – Do aviso à população da Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil sobre o perigo de incêndio rural; – Do comunicado técnico-operacional da Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil que determina a passagem ao Estado de Alerta Especial Amarelo do Dispositivo Especial de Combate a Incêndios Rurais nos distritos de Beja, Évora e Faro; – Do comunicado técnico-operacional da Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil que determina a passagem ao Estado de Alerta Especial Azul, que passará a Amarelo às 00h00 de dia 12, do Dispositivo Especial de Combate a Incêndios Rurais nos distritos de Bragança, Castelo Branco, Guarda, Lisboa, Portalegre, Santarém e Setúbal

10 de maio de 2019

Trabalhar em conjunto para que o Algarve se mantenha um Destino de Férias Seguro

Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve – Faro

10 de maio de 2019, das 09h30 às 17h30

Contexto

Garantir a segurança dos turistas é fundamental e um dos principais critérios que os viajantes levam em conta quando selecionam um destino de férias.

A maioria dos países do mundo enfrenta vários desafios a este respeito, provocados pelas alterações climáticas e por outros fatores. Entre estes, contam-se o aumento das temperaturas, que resulta em incêndios rurais e cheias provocadas por chuvas fortes, bem como outras condições meteorológicas extremas. Além disso, muitos países estão em risco de sofrer terramotos e tsunamis. Por conseguinte, é importante que existam medidas em vigor para antecipar estas condições e mitigar os seus efeitos através da avaliação e diminuição dos riscos, a fim de proteger tanto os residentes como os visitantes em caso de tais catástrofes.

Portugal tem desenvolvido grandes esforços neste domínio. Face a um número cada vez maior de visitantes estrangeiros no Algarve, que no verão ultrapassa bastante o número de residentes, é essencial que todos os agentes do setor do turismo tenham conhecimento do que está a ser feito e do papel que podem desempenhar na garantia da segurança dos seus clientes.

 

Objetivos

Os objetivos desta conferência, a primeira do género em Portugal, são os seguintes:

• Criar uma maior sensibilização no setor do turismo para o risco de eventos de alto impacto e as medidas de prevenção e proteção atualmente em vigor;
• Em caso de catástrofe, conhecer os canais de comunicação existentes para divulgar informações que possam ser comunicadas aos turistas;
• Adquirir uma melhor compreensão do trabalho dos serviços de emergência;
• Ajudar o setor do turismo (empreendimentos turísticos, alojamento local, agências de viagens e turismo e agentes de animação turística, entre outros) a desempenhar um papel adequado na proteção dos seus clientes;
• Partilhar melhores práticas no setor, em termos de medidas de prevenção e proteção já em vigor;
• Promover as medidas que Portugal/o Algarve já tomou para proteger a segurança dos turistas enquanto meio de atrair visitantes para um dos destinos mais seguros da Europa;
• Identificar quaisquer áreas onde seja necessário fazer mais.

 

Destinatários

Todos os agentes do setor do turismo, bem como ONG interessadas e responsáveis governamentais, além do público em geral.

A conferência será realizada em português, com apoio oferecido em inglês.

Reservations are required by 8^th May by contacting Regional Tourism Algarve at marta.alexandre@turismodoalgarve.pt

On 1^st May in the morning, more than 100 Judiciary inspectors searched several accounting and law firms in Oporto. More than two million euros diverted

The Judicial Police (PJ) have detained 11 businessmen in Porto as part of a mega operation aimed at mainly suspects of tax evasion and social security fraud. The operation involved more than a hundred PJ inspectors. The detainees are between 25 and 55 years old and were working in the north of the country.

There are several and serious crimes in this investigation of the Northern Board: criminal association, tax fraud, social security fraud, money laundering and falsification of documents. A first estimate points to more than two million euros that was diverted from public funds with leaks to the IRC and VAT.

In a statement, the PJ said that about 40 home and non-domiciliary searches have been conducted in the municipalities of Paços de Ferreira, Paredes, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Santo Tirso, Guimarães, Maia, Marco de Canaveses and Felgueiras.

According to what has been verified so far by the investigation, which was held between 2016 and 2018 by the Tax Authority – Porto Finance Department, the alleged leader of this criminal association, owner of accounting offices, with the support of third parties, has carried out processes aimed at obtaining undue tax benefits for customers, namely in VAT refunds and in the artificial reduction of the taxable income for the purpose of IRC, thus reaping the benefits to which they knew they were not entitled “.

For this purpose, false data were declared to the Tax Authority, issuing invoices for purchases and services rendered, by computer means, on behalf of taxable persons whose accounts were in their charge.

According to the PJ, these suspects falsified documents, such as employment contracts, income declarations, payroll receipts, inscription or maintenance of workers in companies, tax and social security declarations and others, in order to obtain benefits for third parties attributed by the State and the approval of loans to financial institutions, as well as providing support under the financing programs, namely Portugal 2020.

In the police operation several cars, computer equipment and mobile phones, and extensive accounting and tax documentation was seized.

This conference, the first of its kind, is being organised by Safe Communities Portugal, Regional Tourism Algarve and the ANEPC CDOS Faro. It will be held on 10^th May from 0930 to 1730 hrs in Faro at the Hotel and Tourism School Algarve. The overall aim is to ensure that the Algarve remains one of the safest destinations in the world, reflecting the importance travellers attach to this in selecting a holiday destination.

Those speaking at the conference will be the Secretary of State for Tourism, President of the Agency for the Integrated Management of Rural Fires (AGIF), ABTA the British tour operators association from the UK; President of the Algarve hoteliers association AHETA, the Director Faro Airport, the President of IPMA (Portuguese Institute of Sea and Atmosphere), the Comandante CDOS Faro (ANEPC), British Consul, the Mayor of Faro and President Regional Tourism algarve among others.

Most countries throughout the world face various challenges brought about by climate change and other factors. These can include rising temperatures resulting in rural fires and flooding resulting from heavy rain as well as other extreme weather conditions. In addition many countries are at risk of earthquakes and tsunamis. It is important therefore to be aware of the measures in place to anticipate these conditions and understand the effects by assessing and mitigating the risks, in order to protect both residents and visitors in case of such catastrophes.

David Thomas, stated that: “everyone in the tourism industry has a role to play in ensuring the safety of their clients; for instance by understanding weather patterns and how these influence tourists activities; knowing the threats caused by extreme weather conditions such as rural fire risks; how the emergency services respond in crisis situations and the part the tourism industry plays in communication and coordinating with the authorities”.

Some of the objectives of the conference are: to create greater awareness within the tourism industry of the risk of high impact events and the preventive and protective measure that are currently in place; in the event of a catastrophe, outline the communication channels that are in place to disseminate information which can be communicated to tourists; to help the tourism industry (hotels, local lodging, and travel activity businesses) play an optimal role in protecting their clients, in particular front line staff who have direct contact with tourists and to promote the measures that Portugal/Algarve already has taken to protect the safety of tourists, as a means of attracting visitors as one of the safest destination in Europe.

The conference is aimed at those in the tourism industry, namely:  hotel operators, local lodging agencies and managers; tourist activity operators, air travel operators, car hire businesses as well as government officials and interested NGOs, plus the general public.  The conference will be mainly in Portuguese with some presentations in English and English summaries.

David Thomas stated “that this will be the first conference of its type in Portugal aimed solely at the tourism industry, so whether you a hotel employee, letting or managing properties, arranging or leading tours or conducing off road or sea activities for tourists, I would encourage people to attend this unique event”.

Program in English 

Program in Portuguese  

Poster in Portuguese

Reservations are required by 8^th May by contacting Regional Tourism Algarve at marta.alexandre@turismodoalgarve.pt    

The Judiciary Police, through the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Board, have identified and detained a 31-year-old male Portuguese man suspected of qualified Homicide, Arson and Desecration of Corpse of a male aged 21 years.

The crime occurred since April 15, 2019 in the Caldas da Rainha area, where the victim’s body was found under a car which had been destroyed by fire, transported to the location and hidden under a bush.

The victim had been missing since April 15, 2019, and the news of his disappearance had been reported to the local police authorities – the Republican National Guard (GNR) the following day by relatives of the victim.

On subsequent days not having the victim been located, the case was passed to the Judicial Police, initially to the section of dealing with the investigation of disappeared persons and later to the homicide division.

The body was discovered in the area of Coruche.

The detainee was present at the first judicial interrogation today, to apply a measure of pre-trial conditions appropriate to the seriousness of this crime,

ANA advises passengers with flights at Lisbon and Faro airports to contact their airlines of their flights, regretting “the inconvenience to passengers” and hoping that “the situation will be resolved with the utmost urgency by the competent authorities” .Government advances with civil requisition in strike of dangerous goods drivers

Strike of drivers of hazardous materials affects fuel supply.

The government today approved a resolution of the Council of Ministers that recognizes the need for civil requisition in the case of the dangerous drivers’ strike, which began on Monday.

According to a statement from the presidency of the Council of Ministers, “the ongoing strike affects the supply of fuels to airports, and ports, as well as fuel supplies to public transport companies and gas stations in Greater Lisbon and Greater Porto “ANA said on Tuesday emergency fuel reserves were hit at Faro airport and it expects the oil companies to stop supplying Lisbon by 12.00 p.m., which could cause “service disruptions”.

ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal therefore admits that “since the minimum services have not been ensured and due to the time required for the civil requisition to have practical effects, our airports may have service disruptions at the operational level”. Airport manager “to monitor the situation at all times”.

Contacted by Lusa, the airport manager reports that “Faro airport has already been hit by emergency supplies, and fuel supplies have been suspended by oil companies since Monday [Monday].”

For Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon, “the same fuel supply interruption is expected by oil companies, starting at noon today”.

Speaking to the Lusa news agency early Tuesday morning, Francisco São Bento of the National Syndicate of Dangerous Goods Drivers (SNMMP) on strike said that the union structure foresaw that in the early afternoon the Lisbon and Faro airports would be without fuel.

The national strike of drivers of hazardous materials, which began at 00:00 on Monday, was called by the National Union of Dangerous Goods Drivers (SNMMP) for an indefinite period to claim recognition of the specific professional category and was challenged the minimum services defined by the Government.

According to the union’s data, in the early morning about 40% to 50% of the stations and supply were already out of fuel.

Financial investigators from the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal) disrupted an organised criminal network for value-added tax (VAT) fraud associated with money laundering.

Six criminals have been arrested. The suspects include a business owner with a large-scale business network, his son, the managing director of the company involved in the fraud and three other people. In total, 16 properties in Spain and 5 in Italy were seized by authorities, several vehicles and other belongings worth a total of €70 million. Given the number of criminal assets seized, Hungarian authorities expect to recover the amount in tax lost from the state budget in full.

On the day of the operation, one of the suspects was caught by financial investigators at the airport when travelling to the Maldives. The operation really began from this point on, as the owner of the company, who was visiting Hungary for a short period, and the Hungarian CEO were arrested also at the airport. Later that day, the owner’s son arrived from Dubai and was also detained by the investigators. The operation revealed that several employees had been falsely employed by a temporary employment agency for more money than reported to the Hungarian authorities, which caused millions of euros of losses in VAT and social security tax.

The investigation also revealed that the criminal network was responsible for money laundering, as the profits of bogus transactions were paid out as a dividend (one billion Hungarian forints) to a Cypriot company, then further transferred to a Spanish business in the form of a loan.  The financial investigators interrogated the suspects for high-value budgetary fraud, the use of false personal documents and money laundering offences. The criminals each face up to 20 years in prison.

What is VAT fraud?

VAT fraud is a compound form of tax fraud that relies on the violation of the VAT rules for cross-border transactions. VAT scammers obtain 60 billion of euros in criminal profits every year in the EU by avoiding the payment of VAT or by corruptly claiming repayments of VAT from national authorities.