Portugal safety and Security Report Wednesday 11^th September 2024

Good morning. It is of considerable embarrassment that five violent criminals were able to escape from a high security Vale de Judeus prison. They were sentenced to between 7 and 25 years in prison for various crimes, including drug trafficking, criminal association, robbery, kidnapping and money laundering. Everything indicates that the escape was very well planned, using a ladder and an escape vehicle. The possibility that there was collusion of security officials inside the prison cannot be rules out.

A manhunt is now on for those who escaped and various political parties are asking for officials to explain in parliament what went wrong. This should include why the escape, which was recorded by video surveillance systems at 09:56, but was only detected 40 minutes later, when the inmates returned to their cells. This would have enabled them to have made some headway in reaching the border with Spain if that was their intention.

The President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has asked no alarm be created regarding the escape and that the competent authorities be given time to investigate. “It is preferable to calmly and thoroughly investigate what happened and then report it, rather than having isolated, scattered information that on the one hand creates confusion, on the other hand clarifies little, and I don’t know if it might even help those who fled,” he argued. Sometimes, with good intentions, the fact that people speculate about whether he is here, there, doing this, whether there is information or not, ends up harming investigations and making it easier for those who are on the run,” he warned.

Although calls have been made by the security forces for anyone with information to report this using 112, government as is the normal practice, have not released photos of those wanted, which may help the public identify them. However the media is full of the wanted person’s photos, which should help.

Dangerous wells. If you are a property owner with land, check that your well is covered if the land is not walled or does not have adequate fencing. Many wells are in a state of disrepair and can be a death trap, especially for small children and animals. A shocking statistic is that in the last 5 years some 70 people have died after falling into wells. These have ranged from young children to the elderly from north to south of the country. This need not have happened if the owner of the well had made them safe as required by law.

There are many, many wells, some enclosed in properties, but there also those in fields, near pathways and roads often on land which has not been maintained. Wells camouflaged by vegetation and without adequate protection are real traps and represent a great danger to people and animals. In addition to the deaths there have been many more accidents, where people have fallen into a well and have been rescued by neighbours or the emergency services, putting the rescuers themselves in danger.

If you come across an uncovered well in the Algarve contact this number on the poster produced by Safe Communities and GNR Faro. In any other area report to GNR SEPNA with photo and exact location. https://www.gnr.pt/ambiente.aspx  It is mandatory to protect or effectively cover wells, cracks and other irregularities existing in any land and capable of causing disastrous falls to people and animals. Your action could save someone’s life!

Our team at Safe Communities wish you a safe week ahead

News

Air Force helped save 70 migrants in the Mediterranean

The migrants, including several children, were completely adrift, divided into four boats, sailing relatively close to each other.

An Air Force crew detected more than 70 migrants adrift in the Mediterranean on Friday, contributing to their rescue, in an operation led by the Spanish Guardia Civil.

In a statement released this Tuesday, the Air Force said that the mission, within the scope of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), took place last Friday during a surveillance flight of the C-295M aircraft.

The migrants, including several children, were completely adrift, divided into four boats, sailing relatively close to each other.

The situation was reported to the coordinating entity, and the crew of the C-295M aircraft was informed of the existence of a merchant ship sailing nearby and within the route line that could assist in the rescue.

“This action triggered the activation of Spanish search and rescue resources. Even before leaving the area, and while waiting for the arrival of the Spanish entity’s helicopter, the Air Force crew directed the merchant ship towards one of the vessels, thus supporting the rescue of 21 migrants, including two children”, the note states.

Air Force personnel and a C-295M aircraft will begin the second phase of the Mediterranean surveillance mission on September 5, promoted by the FRONTEX Agency, taking place from the Malaga Base, Spain.

This maritime patrol and surveillance mission, called “Joint Operation Índalo 2024” , aims to safeguard human life, prevent illegal migration and trafficking in human beings, goods and weapons.

The mission also aims to combat drug trafficking, control and inspect fishing activities, control maritime pollution and control maritime traffic, through border and coastal guard surveillance.

How did the first day of AIMA’s mega-operation go?

A new AIMA centre has opened to resolve 400,000 pending immigration cases. Some people spent the night at the door, but ended up not being seen due to lack of appointments. The Minister of the Presidency says that the problem is serious and that it will take time to resolve.

There is great anxiety about resolving problems that have been dragging on for years. Frances, one of the many immigrants who want to resolve their situation in Portugal, has been at the extraordinary post of the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) since midnight, which opened this Monday at the Telheiras Hindu Center in Lisbon . However, it was only at 8:00 am that the Brazilian found out that he would not be seen.

“It was not disclosed that the requirement for attendance would be by appointment. I didn’t know, otherwise I wouldn’t be here so soon. And maybe I wouldn’t even come, because I like to do things legally,” says Frances, who was sent to another AIMA post, which is in Anjos, Lisbon.

The same thing happened to other people. There were even those who gave up on making an appointment. “The problem will not be solved today”, says minister

The Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, visited the new AIMA center, where he stated that the problem is “big, serious and needs attention.

“Will the problem be resolved today? No! (…) What we are doing here is resolving pending processes by carefully checking that people who can reside in Portugal meet the requirements of Portuguese law.”

The special regularization operation will mobilize more than 100 people, including AIMA workers and also collaborators from civil society entities who have already received technical training.

Appointments at AIMA can be made by calling the agency’s Contact Center between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm.

“We need to understand that this is a long process. There are many pending issues and everyone’s turn will come. The contacts are up to date. Don’t be too worried if they are not scheduled in the first phase, they will certainly be scheduled in the second phase or in the third, fourth or fifth phase. Everyone will be covered”, says the president of the AIMA Workers’ Union, Artur Girão.

The operation is expected to continue until June next year.