The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 29th January 2025
by Mike Evans
Good day to you all wherever you may be reading this report. Usually we start off with a subject that has been in the news over the past week and is relevant to our aims of Safety and Security. This week we are slightly off that remit in that I am writing to inform you if you were not already a resident of Almancil that you will soon be a city dweller! Yes, in the past week in Parliament, it was approved and announced that Almancil fulfills the criteria of a city! Like me I am sure a number of you will ask what is the criteria? Well here are the requirements that have to be addressed in order to be able to get “City” Status.
According to the legislation, a locality that has more than eight thousand voters and at least half of the following facilities may be elevated to the category of city: hospital facilities, pharmacies, fire brigade , entertainment venue and cultural center, museums and library, hotel facilities, preparatory and secondary education establishment, pre-primary education establishment and nurseries, public transport and parks or public gardens.
Almancil is a parish in the municipality of Loulé, with an area of 62.30 square kilometers and 10,677 inhabitants, according to the 2021 Census, a population increase that has almost doubled since 1981.Being that the area consists of the two major Holiday com[plexes, Vilamoura and Vale do Lobo it does beg the question, do you have to be a permanent resident to be part of the 8,000 people. Anyway, just what this elevation to City status means to the area we will wait to see but from all of us a Safe Communities, Congratulations.
Now a look at some of the other news from our region this last week.
Big Haul of Hashish Washed UP on Algarve Beach
The National Republican Guard ( GNR ) seized more than 93 kilos of hashish last week on the Costa Vicentina and in the western Algarve, the security force announced. The Maritime Police also seized 369 kilos of hashish found on several beaches.
In a statement, the force responsible for customs inspection and coastal control informs that, following the worsening of weather conditions and sea conditions, the Coastal and Border Control Unit (UCCF) has intensified patrols along the coastline over the last few days.
On Thursday (23rd), on Manuel Lourenço beach (Guia), the military detected and seized a bale of burlap with hashish inside, weighing a total of 43.5 kilos. They also seized, on the same day, on Cordoama beach ( Vila do Bispo ), several packages containing drugs, with a total weight of 4.5 kilos.
On Mareta beach (Sagres), on Friday (24th), the military detected and seized a bale of burlap containing hashish, weighing 45.05 kilos.
According to the GNR, the operation was coordinated by the UCCF and the Faro Territorial Command, involving land and sea patrol teams in coastal areas.
On Friday, the Maritime Police (PM) also announced that in the last three days they had seized 369 kilograms of hashish found on the Algarve coast, on beaches in the municipalities of Faro, Portimão and Lagos.
Injured Fisherman Airlifted from Cliff to Hospital
A recreational fisherman who fell this Saturday, the 25th, on a cliff in the municipality of Aljezur, was transported by helicopter with serious injuries, early in the evening, to a hospital unit, revealed the National Maritime Authority ( AMN ).
In a statement, AMN said that a 68-year-old man was in a difficult-to-access area and was initially rescued by the Aljezur Volunteer Firefighters. According to AMN, the victim had suffered an accidental fall on a cliff while fishing at Ponta da Atalaia, in the municipality of Aljezur.
The alert was received at 5:17 pm, through the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center, reporting a person falling off a cliff.
According to AMN, elements of the local command of the Lagos Maritime Police , the Aljezur Volunteer Firefighters and an INEM helicopter were sent to the scene. “The victim, who had suspected fractures, was later transported to a hospital by INEM helicopter,” said AMN.
PSP Launch Operation To Prevent Violence and Possession of Weapons in Schools
On the 27th January, the Public Security Police launched the operation “Violence? No, thanks!”, to raise awareness among students in the 3rd cycle of primary and secondary education on issues such as school violence, the use and possession of weapons and juvenile delinquency.
In addition to raising awareness, students are also encouraged to resolve their conflicts peacefully, using dialogue rather than violence.
In a statement, the PSP say that the incidents recorded in the 2023/2024 school year, within the scope of the Safe School Program (PES), increased compared to 2022/2023, although they are still below the average of the last decade (4,445).This operation, which runs until the end of January, is part of the PES, an integrated community policing model under which the PSP is responsible for security in more than 3,170 public, private and cooperative education schools, involving a total of 902,000 students and 150,000 teachers and operational assistants.
The police officers from the Safe School Program teams involved in these actions teach students some approaches to resolving conflicts, methods to calm down when they feel angry, and also explain to them who they can turn to for help.
During these awareness-raising activities, in addition to characterising juvenile delinquency, the officers explain to the students the consequences of violent behaviour, warning them that, despite being minors, there are consequences that could affect their future if they commit acts that could be classified as a crime.
In the 2022/2023 school year, 3,824 incidents related to school spaces (inside, outside and home-school-home routes) were recorded by the Safe School Program teams, while in the last school year the number rose to 4,107.
Of the total number of incidents recorded last school year, 2,956 were of a criminal nature, which is equivalent to 72% of the total recorded within the scope of the PES. Of all the criminal incidents recorded, 71.4% took place on school premises. The most reported incidents continue to be assaults, insults and threats.
The PSP also says that in the last academic year, the lowest number of robberies in the last five years was recorded (75), which represents a decrease of around 9% compared to the same period.
In the 2023/2024 school year, 38 incidents involving the use and/or possession of weapons were recorded (four more), with five firearms, 30 bladed weapons and four weapons of other types detected, representing an increase of 11.4%.
In total, in the 2023/2024 school year, the PSP carried out around 32,000 thematic awareness-raising actions that had the participation of more than 703,400 students, 24,500 more than in the previous year. The most addressed topics were ‘bullying’ and ‘cyberbullying’, domestic and dating violence, alcohol and drug use and prevention, and road safety.
The PSP reminds that the police officers assigned to the PES teams are always present and available to receive reports, advise and support victims, their families and the entire school community.
Man Arrested In Quarteira for Burglary and Car Theft
The GNR in Loulé arrested a 38 year old man on January 21st, suspected of thefts from homes, shops and a vehicle in Quarteira over the past four months.
During the police investigations, GNR officers managed to locate the suspect, who was driving a stolen vehicle at the time of being arrested on January 13th. The car was equipped with false license plates, which were also stolen.
During the operation, several items were recovered and seized, including: a light vehicle, two false license plates, three watches, a mobile phone and a lock pick. The recovered vehicle will be returned to the rightful owner.
The detainee is being held at GNR facilities and will be brought before the Faro Judicial Court today, Thursday, to apply the respective coercive measures.
Council Threatening Demolition of Illegal Algarve Properties
Loule Council is threatening to crack down hard on illicit buildings around the area. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in illegal construction in the municipality of Loulé, especially through the installation of wooden or modular structures on rustic land. In most cases, these buildings are intended for housing that does not meet legal requirements. Furthermore, they are often located in areas subject to administrative easements or public utility restrictions, as stipulated in the Municipal Master Plan (PDM) in force, namely in areas classified as National Agricultural Reserve (RAN) and National Ecological Reserve (REN).
Because of this, the council states that: “it is essential to once again alert all citizens that these illicit practices are subject to measures to protect urban legality. Such measures are provided for in Decree-Law No. 555/99 of December 16, in its most recent version, approved by Decree-Law No. 10/2024 of January 8, in particular in articles 102 to 109. The most severe sanction is the demolition of buildings if it is concluded that they are not eligible for licensing or legalisation”.
The council also adds that the recent change to the Urbanisation and Building Legal Regime (RJUE), in force since January 8, establishes the application of this regime to modular constructions. These are defined as structures that use modular construction systems, produced partially or entirely in a factory, and which can be fixed or transportable. “Therefore, these constructions are considered urban operations that require a prior favourable opinion from the City Council, without prejudice to the need for opinions from other entities, as stipulated in the RJUE or in specific legislation”.
Due to this situation, the council is working to raise awareness among all owners and potential purchasers of rural land about the importance of obtaining correct information before investing in constructions or structures that may be considered illegal. “Carrying out these works may result in the preparation of reports and the application of severe sanctions, including charges of crimes of violation of urban planning rules and administrative possession for the coercive demolition of the buildings.
“In addition to the financial and legal damages to offenders, these situations represent a diversion of essential public resources (if coercive demolition is carried out, with all the logistics inherent to the procedure), resources that could be channelled towards the basic needs of the population. After the demolition, the expense will be invoiced to the offending citizen. “Furthermore, there is a negative environmental impact, with significant damage to the landscape and natural heritage of the municipality”.
Until the next time Stay Safe