PJ Militar’s director, Colonel Luís Augusto Vieira was detained on Tuesday 25th September in the investigation into the war material “allegedly” stolen from the Tancos military base in June last year. In addition at least five other people, including other elements of PJ Militar, GNR and a civilian suspect were detained.
GNR spokesman Hélder Barros confirms the arrest of three GNR personnel from the criminal investigation unit of GNR de Loulé, including the head of that unit. “In the context of a judicial police operation, three soldiers from the criminal investigation nucleus of Loulé were searched at work, and were detained in the meantime”.
In this case, it is suspected that the military of the PJM and the GNR have, in complicity with the alleged perpetrator of the robbery, forged the “recovery” of the weapons, to undermine the investigation of the PJ.
In a joint statement, the Attorney General’s Office and the PJ confirm that in the context of Operation Húbris, elements of PJ Militar, GNR and another suspect were detained without mentioning names or positions.
We have also carried out searches at various sites in the Greater Lisbon, Algarve, Porto and Santarém areas. This investigation investigates the circumstances surrounding the appearance on 18 October 2017 in the Chamusca region of war material stolen in Tancos, “says the PGR note.
The MP refers to the fact that these actions are “likely to include crimes of criminal association, denial of justice, prevarication, falsification of documents, influence peddling, personal favoritism practiced by an employee, abuse of power, reception, possession of a prohibited weapon and arms trafficking “.
Five prosecutors and about a hundred investigators and experts from the PJ participated in the operation.
Finally, it is also mentioned that “the detainees will be present to the Court of Criminal Investigation of Lisbon for the application of coercive measures”.