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Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 17th July 2024

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all and I start this report with the warning that the Algarve is at one of its highest fire risk levels we have seen this year. While we can celebrate the fall in the number of fires so far this year we cannot let our guards down as the very hot weather coupled with the high winds can change things in a very short time.

As I write this report Eight municipalities in the district of Faro are today at maximum risk of rural fires due to hot weather, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere. At maximum risk are the municipalities of Aljezur, Lagos, Monchique, Portimão, Silves, Loulé, Tavira and São Brás de Alportel. According to IPMA calculations, the fire danger will remain high in some districts at least until Sunday.

Having just spent a few hours travelling along the N125 in both directions I can definitely report that the summer tourist rush has certainly arrived along the Algarve. This, whilst good for businesses in the tourism industry,  can be the opposite for locals who have plans to reach a destination in a decent time. Please allow extra time if you are travelling through the Algarve during the summer months.

On a brighter note the Algarvian Goat is set to enjoy a better than anticipated summer. Although the Algarve region (Faro district) continues to be in a drought, the PSD/CDS-PP Government eased the restrictions that the previous PS executive had imposed in February to deal with water shortages, after the heavy rains in autumn and winter, reserves increased, and breeders interviewed by Lusa say they now have greater availability of water and food in the fields.

Nuno Coelho is a producer of Algarvian goats in the municipality of Alcoutim and gave the example of feed and straw – “they fell to almost half” the price that was charged when the scarcity of pastures, due to the lack of rain, led to a rise in the food for animals.

“This winter has been a little kinder and therefore brought a little more food abundance. Things have improved substantially”, said Nuno Coelho, who had 120 Algarvian breed goats, had to reduce the herd to 30 and start supplementing it with sheep to balance the accounts, because the goat is priced at 40 euros and the lamb reaches 120 euros.

The winter, he recalled, was “more regular and therefore it rained more”. The supply of water to the soil had consequences for the growth of pastures, bringing “more abundance of food for the animals”. Nuno Luís, with a herd of 300 goats in Castro Marim, also recognised that this “has been a normal year” and that the rain that fell allowed for “a good year of crops”, removing, for now, the scenario of lack of water that the sector was struggling with, for example, a year ago.

“We are in the summer part, of course, the water is disappearing more, but it is not said that we are running out of water now at this time. And even pastures, this year are good”, he assured, highlighting that “rations have dropped” and producers “spend much less”, because they have “more pasture on the side” and do not need to buy so much feed or straw.

Despite continuing to be a low-yield activity, both producers look to the future with greater optimism.

Now a look at some of the other stories that have been hitting the headlines in the past week.

Train collides with car and injures 6 people

Six people were injured – two seriously – when a train crashed into a car at the Poço do Barreto level crossing in Silves on the 12th July.

The six occupants of the seven-seater car were all Dutch nationals, three men and three women, aged between 18 and 25, a GNR source told Lusa. All six were taken to Faro Hospital, two by helicopter (two 18-year-old women with serious injuries) and the other four by ambulance.

“The rescue operation is complete, with all individuals removed from the scene, including the six injured from the car and the 24 train passengers,” Richard Marques, the sub-regional commander of the Algarve National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority, told Lusa.

The accident forced authorities to close the Algarve railway line to make sure safety conditions were ensured.

“Following the completion of rescue operations and confirmation of the track’s condition, train service on the Algarve Line was restored,” infrastructure authority Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) said in a statement. Railway company CP later informed that the line reopened at 11.30am.

Road traffic had already been reopened earlier on the road crossing the Poço Barreto level crossing, located between Alcantarilha and Silves in the municipality of Silves. There were 24 passengers on the train, 17 of whom were transferred by a bus provided by CP to their destination, according to the deputy commander of Silves Volunteer Firefighters, cited by Observador newspaper.

The rescue operation involved firefighters from Silves and Lagoa, the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM), and GNR police. The cause of the accident is still being investigated.

52 arrests made by GNR in the Algarve

The GNR from Faro district carried out a series of operations in the Algarve, during the week of July 8th to 14th. The operations aimed to prevent and combat violent crime, alongside road inspections.

During the week 52 people were arrested, including 11 for driving without a legal license, 8 for driving under the influence of alcohol, and 8 for drug trafficking. The GNR seized 221 doses of hashish, 46 doses of cocaine, 18 mobile home-type houses, 72 ammunition, 2 compressed air rifles, 7 cell phones, 3 laptop computers, and various articles of clothing.

Regarding traffic offences, 355 infractions were detected, of which 176 were due to speeding, 28 due to lack of mandatory periodic inspection, 24 were related to anomalies in lighting and signalling systems, 12 due to lack of or incorrect use of seat belts and/or restraint systems. for children, 10 due to lack of civil liability insurance.

The GNR recorded 203 accidents resulting in 34 minor injuries.

Navy rescues four men after vessel sinks near Olhão

The Navy, through the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Lisboa), coordinated, on the night of Thursday, July 11, a search and rescue operation for four men, of Spanish nationality, after the shipwreck of the vessel they were travelling on.

According to the Navy, the alert came at 11:10 pm through a call from the GNR warning of the fact that the fishing vessel “Praia Monte Gordo ” was sinking, with four crew members on board, approximately six nautical miles, the equivalent of 13 kilometres south of Olhão.

Immediately, and in coordination with the captain of the Port of Olhão, the Navy vessel NRP Cassiopeia and the Olhão Lifeboat Station vessel were activated. Several fishing vessels that were in the vicinity were also alerted and coordinated to provide support to the shipwrecked people. The rescue of the four people was carried out by the fishing vessel “Costasul”, which was closest to the location, having transferred the castaways to the Lifeguard Station vessel, which transported them to the Port of Olhão. Upon reaching land, the people were assisted by INEM, although they were all in good health.

Rival gang fight leaves several injured in Faro

A brawl between two rival groups in downtown Faro left several people injured this week. The confrontation, allegedly motivated by issues related to drug trafficking in that area of ​​the city, led several residents to complain about insecurity and a lack of patrols.

Videos are circulating on social media showing several individuals in physical confrontations on Rua Conselheiro Bivar. According to TVI/CNN on Tuesday, the 9th, some suspects involved in the brawl have already been identified by the authorities.

The videos have been shared by customers of restaurants and shops who were in the area when the incident occurred and who had to leave the premises because “there were stones and bottles in the air”. Following this incident, residents have complained about the lack of security and frequent clashes between gangs, appealing that “someone has to do something”.

Maritime Police seize 300 kg tuna in Tavira

Members of the Tavira Maritime Police Local Command carried out, on the evening of last Monday, July 8, an inspection action at the Quatro-Águas ramp, in Tavira, which resulted in the seizure of a tuna, weighing approximately 300 kg, and fishing gear, namely two rods and deep-sea reels, reported AMN .

During the operation, members of the Maritime Police detected a recreational vessel, with four recreational fishermen on board, who had caught a bluefin tuna, weighing around 300kg, the capture of which is prohibited within the scope of recreational fishing .

The Maritime Police officers prepared the respective report and, as a precautionary measure, seized the fish, which was later donated to Social Solidarity Institutions, as well as two fishing rods and deep-sea reels. Four members of the Tavira Maritime Police Local Command were involved in this action, supported by two vehicles.

And finally to end this report, a couple of events which are well worth being aware of in the region.

The 42nd Faro Motorbike Rally is almost here. This year, one of the most notable events in the region (and the country) will take place from 18 to 21 July, in the mythical Vale das Almas, in Montenegro .

Four days, thousands of motorbikes, beer, concerts, exhibitions and street entertainment are the ingredients of what is considered one of the biggest and best biker gatherings in Europe and which every year, in July, attracts more and more bike lovers to the Algarve capital.

One of the highlights of the event is the motorcycle parade through the streets of the Algarve capital on the last day of the gathering, July 21 (Sunday).

And also this week, Silves is preparing to host another edition of its Beer Fest between July 17 and 21 at Praça Al-Mutamid, the town’s main riverside square.

Organised by Silves Futebol Clube and Silves Council, the event will feature more than 80 craft beers made by brewers from all over Portugal.

There will also be stalls selling handicraft and traditional products, live music and food trucks, totalling over 40 exhibitors from 19 different locations.

The event will run from 6pm to 1am and will be free to visit, although visitors wishing to try the many beers on offer will have to buy a glass.

If you’re going to either of these events remember don’t drink and drive and have a great week.

 

Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 10th July 2024

by Mike Evans

Good day to you all. With the summer holidays about to reach their peak, this brings the expected millions of tourists to our area. Whilst this is great news for all the businesses that work within the tourism industry we should all take a moment for those of us who live here to be vigilant to the rise of the dreaded “covid 19 virus”

Whilst the Algarve receives tourists from all parts of the world, the UK during the summer is the country which has the most holidaymakers arriving in the Algarve and it is from there that we see that the cases of Covid 19 are on the increase. Up to the end of June the UK saw a total of 3,230 people over a 7 day period register with the virus, an increase of 15% week on week. Experts believe that the true figure is probably 10 times this figure.

 At the end of May, Portugal had an average of 130 notifications of positive cases of Covid-19 per day and in the last seven days the daily average was around 390, said the professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, noting that at the beginning of May the number of notifications was “very low”, around ten cases. Whilst the current strain is nowhere near as dangerous as in 2019/20 it is important that we still follow the advice given by the DGS about washing hands regularly and when sneezing to make sure we cover our noses as well as possible. As with the pandemic it is the elderly who are at most risk so while we all want to enjoy the summer be mindful of the virus and if with the elderly try and keep clear of crowds.

Now a look at what else has been happening in the past week across the region.

GNR Arrests 4 Individuals linked to a Drug Trafficking Network in Loulé 

The GNR’s Faro Territorial Command, through the Loulé Criminal Investigation Unit (NIC), carried out, between the 2nd and 3rd of July, an operation which resulted in the arrest of four men aged between 20 and 48 years old, for trafficking in narcotic products, in the municipality of Loulé.

As part of an investigation into drug trafficking, which lasted 15 months, GNR officers carried out police investigations that revealed the modus operandi of the drug trafficking network.

“It was possible to determine that the drug traffickers always acted extremely carefully and used several high-powered vehicles, selling the narcotic product in the Algarve region”, details the GNR in a statement. The military personnel from the NIC of Loulé and the Intervention Detachment (DI) of Faro carried out three house searches and five non-house searches, namely in vehicles, through which the four suspects were arrested.

The searches also resulted in the seizure of 5,651 euros in cash; 520 pounds; four high-powered passenger vehicles; seven mobile phones; 153 doses of cocaine; 13 doses of cannabis (pollen); 16,000 doses of cannabis oil; 570 doses of marijuana; 44 MDMA tablets; 35 doses of MDMA; 21 luxury watches; five bags of hallucinogenic gum; and various materials used to prepare individual doses of the drug.

The detainees were brought before the Faro Judicial Court on Thursday, July 4, to apply the coercive measures.

Man Arrested for Rape in Faro

The Southern Directorate of the Judicial Police arrested a 27-year-old man, due to strong evidence of the crime of rape, which occurred in the municipality of Faro, the PJ reported .

The facts date back to the early hours of October 20, 2023, the date on which the PJ received communication of the complaint, formalised with the police authorities by the victim herself.

Following the investigation, according to the PJ, it was possible to determine that the victim, a 19-year-old woman, was approached by an unknown person when she was leaving the space where a popular fair was taking place. At that time, she was allegedly coerced into sexual acts, through threats using a sharp weapon. “The sexual assault took place on a public road in a secluded location, and the victim was unable to seek help from any passers-by,” reads the statement.

The set of steps taken allowed the identification of the suspect and the collection of relevant evidence, with the arrest of the alleged perpetrator being carried out on Wednesday, July 3, after his return from an absence abroad.

The detainee will be brought before the competent judicial authority for the application of coercive measures.

The investigation is led by the Public Prosecution Services, Department of Investigation and Criminal Prosecution of Faro.

Man Wanted for Thefts in S. Brás is in Preventive Detention

The Faro Judicial Court ordered the preventive arrest of a 27-year-old man who was wanted for thefts from homes and vehicles in São Brás de Alportel, the GNR announced on Tuesday. According to a statement from that security force, the suspect had been arrested on Saturday following a complaint of “breaking into a residence”.

It was later discovered that the detainee was the target of an arrest warrant, as part of an investigation into “burglaries in residences, thefts and use of vehicles, thefts inside vehicles and violation of domicile”, which occurred in the municipality of São Brás de Alportel.

Woman named defendant for motorhome theft in Portimão

A 40-year-old woman has been named a defendant in an investigation that in recent days led to the recovery of a motorhome stolen in the municipality of Portimão, the GNR revealed on Tuesday .According to the statement released, the suspect is the partner of a man previously detained and subject to the coercive measure of preventive detention as part of an investigation into a vehicle theft that occurred on May 1.

Following the investigation, search warrants were executed which allowed the recovery and seizure of several items, such as “a stolen motorhome, valued at several thousand euros, a stolen electric bicycle, valued at around three thousand euros, and a light passenger vehicle with foreign registration”.

Collision Between Boats on the Arade River leaves 3 slightly injured

Two maritime tourist vessels – one with three and the other with four passengers on board – collided on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 2, on the Arade River, in Portimão . The causes of the accident are unknown, according to the National Maritime Authority ( AMN ). The collision resulted in three minor injuries.

Following an alert received from a member of the public who was on the beach at 2:30 pm, reporting that an accident had occurred between two boats in front of the Portimão Navy pier, members of the Portimão Maritime Police Local Command and crew from the Ferragudo Lifeguard Station were immediately called to the scene, AMN details in a statement. Members of the Portimão Fire Department also went to the scene.

“Upon arrival at the scene, it was found that the collision had resulted in three minor injuries, to whom first aid was already being given by members of the Navy ships that were docked at the Portimão Naval Support Point, as well as by a team of Marines,” the note adds. The crew of the Ferragudo Lifeguard Station subsequently transported two of the victims – two American women (aged 57 and 22) – to the Ferragudo Lifeguard Station, where they were waiting for the Firefighters who assisted them and then transported them to a hospital unit.

The third victim, a 57-year-old man, left the scene on his own using his own boat.

According to AMN, the remaining passengers on the damaged vessels were also transported by the crew of the Lifeboat Station and by the military personnel on the Navy ship’s launch to the Ferragudo Lifeboat Station.

The owners of the vessels were notified that they cannot sail until an inspection is carried out to prove “their seaworthiness conditions”.

The local command of the Portimão Maritime Police took charge of the incident, and a maritime accident procedure was opened to determine the causes of the accident. The AMN also guarantees that there is no source of pollution in the Arade River.

GNR Operation results in 75 Arrests

The GNR police carried out a series of operations in the district of Faro, during the week of July 1st to 7th. The operations aimed to prevent various crimes, including violent crime, and road inspections.

In total, during the week there were 75 arrests in the Algarve, including 20 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 9 for driving without a legal licence and 7 for drug trafficking.

4 high-powered passenger vehicles, 198 doses of cocaine, 16,000 doses of cannabis oil, 21 luxury watches, 9 mobile phones, 5 cannabis plants and various materials used to prepare individual doses of narcotics were seized. Regarding traffic, 370 infractions were detected, of which 143 were due to speeding, 32 due to lack of mandatory periodic inspection, 22 related to anomalies in lighting and signalling systems, 11 due to lack of or incorrect use of seat belts and/or restraint systems for children, 10 for improper use of a cell phone while driving and 7 for lack of civil liability insurance.

The GNR detected 173 accidents, resulting in 2 deaths, 2 serious injuries and 29 minor injuries.

Body of Man found in Olhao Harbour

The body of a man was found floating inside the fishing port of Olhão on Wednesday afternoon, with the causes of the incident so far unknown.

After an alert at around 4pm, via members of the public who were in the area, members of the Olhão Maritime Police Local Command and INEM’s Emergency and Resuscitation Medical Vehicle (VMER) immediately went to the scene.

The 45 year old Guinean man was declared dead at the scene by the VMER doctor.

“Upon arriving at the scene, it was found that it was the body of a man, and it was removed from the water by a member of the public who was in the area,” says the National Maritime Authority in a statement.

“Death was declared on site by the VMER doctor, and the body was transported, after contact with the Public Ministry, to the Institute of Legal Medicine of Faro”.

The Olhão Maritime Police Local Command took charge of the incident.​​

Crash on N125 leaves One dead.

A man died on the morning of the 3rd July  as a result of a collision between a heavy goods vehicle and a passenger car, on the EN125, in Portimão.

According to the Algarve Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command, the accident occurred at 6:30am, in the Portimão-Lagos direction, causing traffic to be closed in both directions until around 10am.

The head-on collision between the two vehicles “resulted in the death of the driver of the passenger car”. The accident occurred at kilometre 44 of the EN125, next to the ‘new bridge’ over the Arade river, to Portimão, “with the causes of the collision unknown”.

The GNR’s Traffic Accident Criminal Investigation Unit (NICAV) is investigating, to determine the causes of the accident.

Portimao Man arrested on Sexual Assault Charges

In Portimão, a man has now been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing a 14 year old girl, causing her to become pregnant. In a statement, the police revealed that they arrested the 41 year old man “for the alleged authorship of several crimes of sexual abuse of dependent minors, or those in a particularly vulnerable situation and violating their private life”.

The crimes were committed between July 2022 and October 2023, in Portimão, “making the victim a teenager who at the time the events began had turned 14”. According to a police source, the suspect was placed under house arrest after the first judicial interrogation.

The investigation conducted by the Portimão Criminal Investigation Department was initiated following the detection of the minor’s pregnancy, who gave birth at the end of last year.

The police statement says, “the significant sexual contacts took place inside the suspect’s home, who took advantage of the relationship of trust he had with the minor”. 

10 Arrests Made During Afro Nation Festival

The PSP made 10 arrests during the Afro Nation Festival, which took place from 26th to 30th June in Praia da Rocha, Portimão and attracted around 35,000 each day.

According to the police, the arrests resulted from crimes of drug trafficking, resistance and coercion against an employee, driving without a legal licence and speculation.

Five reports were also issued for offences due to possession of a narcotic product and sale and/or possession of nitrous oxide.

In total, the PSP seized 458 doses of marijuana, 504 doses of cocaine, 245 doses of amphetamines, 400 doses of hashish, 74 canisters of nitrous oxide and €1424 in cash, which police suspect came from drug trafficking.

Policing of the event involved, “around 200 police officers from its various departments, committed daily, whose actions aimed to guarantee public order, the management of road traffic and the prevention of criminal activities that generate a feeling of insecurity in the community”.

Until the next time Stay Safe…

 

The Algarve Report  3 July 2024

 

by Mike Evans

Good afternoon to you all. We start this report with the news recently published that the “Save Water” campaign which was set up in the Algarve earlier in the year has seen a 12% reduction in water usage for those establishments that signed up to the scheme which is commendable. However, we are met with the news this week that The amount of water stored fell in June in all river basins compared to the last day of the previous month, according to data from the National Water Resources Information System ( SNIRH ).

The Barlavento Algarve basin continues to be the one with the lowest amount of reserve water, falling from 22.3% in May to 20.8% in June.

At the end of June, the Mira basins also had less water availability, with 40.5% (41.4% in May) and Arade 40.8% (42.7% in May). The amount of water also fell in the Lima basins, from 76.1% to 53.5%, and in the Sado basin, from 72.3% to 66.7%.

On the last day of June, the Mondego (91.3%), Guadiana (87.4%), Cávado (87%), Oeste (85.7%), Douro (80%) and Tejo (77.9%) basins had the highest volume of water.

According to SNIRH data, of the 58 monitored reservoirs, 28 had water availability above 80% of the total volume and another six below 40%.

June 2024 storages by river basin are higher than the June storage averages (1990/91 to 2022/23), except for the Lima, Mira, Ribeiras do Algarve and Arade basins. Each river basin may have more than one reservoir.

According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), almost half of mainland Portugal was experiencing weak or moderate meteorological drought at the end of May, with a greater focus on the southern region.

So whilst there are many who are giving themselves a “pat” on the back for saving water there are obviously many across the region who are happily going about using water without a care in the world! It remains to be seen if we are going to get through the summer without any restrictions but let’s hope that people start to realise this precious resource is something we all need and must be preserved and used sparingly.

Now a look at some of the other stories that have happened across the region in the past week.

16-year-old arrested for murder in Faro

A 19-year-old man died yesterday, allegedly due to stab wounds, following an argument near Faro ‘s municipal swimming pools. The alleged killer, a 16-year-old boy, was later arrested, the PSP revealed. The Faro Public Security Police Command (PSP) said, in a statement, that it was called at 6:30 pm to a “dispute between citizens” in the city of Faro.

“Upon arriving at the scene, police officers came across a male victim with trauma to the chest caused “by a sharp weapon, who was treated at the scene by emergency teams,” it reads. “However, these efforts proved fruitless and death was declared at the scene,” he added.

The Judicial Police arrested the alleged murderer, a young teenager, aged 16, due to strong evidence of the crime of qualified homicide. “The confrontation had already been previously scheduled, between a group of young teenagers”, reveals the PJ.

Aware that they were outnumbered, the group of four young people that included the victim fled, being pursued by more than a dozen other teenagers. When they separated, the victim ended up being ambushed and fatally attacked.

“The investigative steps carried out by the Southern Directorate of the Judicial Police allowed the collection of relevant evidence that led to the complete identification of those involved, including the suspect responsible for the crime”, highlights the Judicial Police.

The detainee will be brought before the judicial authority for the purposes of initial questioning and application of coercive measures.

Man suspected of murder with a knife arrested in Albufeira

A 26-year-old man was arrested on Saturday, the 29th, due to “strong evidence” of the murder of another 77-year-old man, using a bladed weapon, in Albufeira, the Judicial Police (PJ) reported.

According to a statement published on the PJ website, the victim, owner of a commercial space, “was attacked with a sharp weapon, following an argument related to debts relating to the lease of the commercial space he owned, last Thursday”.

According to the PJ, the victim’s disappearance was reported to the authorities on Friday, late in the evening. The detainee “abandoned the body inside the establishment”, and the investigation by the Southern Directorate of the PJ “found that he was preparing to hide the body”, reads the note. The PJ also reveals that it collected “relevant evidence that led to the complete identification of the suspect”.

The detainee will be brought before the judicial authorities for the first judicial interrogation and application of coercive measures.

The investigation is led by the Albufeira Department of Investigation and Criminal Prosecution.

PJ arrests six people for criminal association in the real estate sector

The Judicial Police , through the Southern Directorate, as part of an investigation initiated in 2021, carried out a police operation in which four men and two women were arrested, on suspicion of committing the crimes of criminal association, qualified fraud, money laundering and document forgery, in the real estate sector, in the Algarve .

In the operation, “Orange”, led by the Regional DIAP of Évora, seven house searches and two company searches were also carried out, dozens of properties, 14 vehicles, a vessel, computer equipment and a large collection of documentary evidence were seized.

At issue is the investigation of an organised group, with several nationalities, resident in the Algarve and with links to the diaspora in other countries, who created in our country in Portugal an economic organisation in the real estate sector, entirely fraudulently financed by bank loans. The “modus operandi” involved the creation of companies under Portuguese law, through which they acquired hundreds of properties, the ownership of which, through simulated transactions, they immediately transferred to third parties.

In their name, and using false documents, they took out housing loans with Portuguese banking institutions, in amounts much higher than the initial purchase price of the goods, appropriating the difference, in addition to the proceeds from the subsequent use of the properties as tourist and residential accommodation.

To date, more than 20 companies controlled by the various suspects identified in the investigation have been identified, through which more than 300 properties were acquired and more than two hundred fraudulent financing agreements were contracted, with a total value of around 40 million euros.

The detainees will be brought before the first judicial interrogation with a view to applying coercive measures.

GNR launches “Operation Field”

The National Republican Guard (GNR) will carry out Operation Safe Field between 1 July, 2024 and 16 February, 2025. The operation’s objective is to bring awareness, patrolling, and inspection of agricultural and forestry farms throughout the national territory, in order to repress the practice of crimes of theft of agricultural products and machinery, crimes of Human Trafficking in the workplace and prevent the occurrence of accidents with agricultural and forestry vehicles or machinery.

During the operation, the GNR intends to raise awareness among the population in general and the rural population in particular, for the adoption of behaviours that can prevent possible criminal offences, namely the theft of agricultural products and machinery and the theft of non-precious metals; identify possible situations of exploitation in the context of work, namely those that may be related to Trafficking in Human Beings and also, raise awareness on safely driving agricultural and forestry vehicles and avoiding accidents.

In this way, patrol and inspection actions will be intensified in view of the seasonality of agricultural and forestry crops in each region, directing them to the places, days, and times of greatest risk, taking into account the history of theft, and control and inspection actions will also be developed to control and supervise the transport of agricultural and forestry products at the crossing points of the land border, in coordination with the Guardia Civil to tackle cross-border crime. Awareness-raising and information actions are also carried out with owners, and local and regional entities associated with farms to promote the dissemination of advice with a view to adopting behaviours that prevent theft.

Portugal’s rural firefighting force at ‘maximum capacity

 Portugal’s rural firefighting force is being reinforced today to reach its maximum capacity, with 14,155 operatives, 3,162 teams and 3,174 vehicles on standby, with 72 aircraft.

The National Operational Directive (DON), which establishes this year’s Special Force for Fighting Rural Fires (DECIR), indicates that resources are being reinforced for the third time this year with the entry into force of the so-called ‘reinforced – Delta level’, which lasts until September 30.

Over the next three months, 14,155 personnel, 3,162 teams and 3,174 vehicles will be operational – numbers that could increase if necessary, since this year’s DECIR provides for the mobilisation of additional resources to respond to more serious situations. In this situation, the number of firefighters could exceed 20,000, a reinforcement that is made above all by volunteer firefighters.

This year’s DECIR provides for 70 aircraft for this period, which is considered the most critical, which could rise to 72 with the hiring of two heavy ‘Canadair’ aeroplanes, with the contract process still underway. Of the total number of operatives involved, the largest number belongs to the fire brigade (8,061), of which 3,794 are from Permanent Intervention Teams, followed by the ICNF (2,430), the GNR (1,946) and the Special Civil Protection Force (216), according to DON.

The firefighting force for this year has increased slightly compared to 2023, with the exception of the aerial resources, (numbers identical) – with 261 more operatives, 78 more teams and 183 more firefighting vehicles.

Provisional figures from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) indicate that 1,796 rural fires have broken out since the beginning of the year, consuming around 2,918 hectares – 56% of which refers to scrubland, 19% to forest stands and 25% to agricultural land.

In the same period in 2023, there had already been almost 4,000 fires and around 8,800 hectares burnt.

Until the next time stay safe

 

 

The Algarve Report 26 June 2024 by Mike Evans

 

A very good day to you all and welcome to this report if you are joining us for the first time. I have recently been away on holiday to Canada and one piece of news was that Canada’s 2023 wildfire season was the most destructive ever recorded. By September 5, more than 6,132 fires had torched a staggering 16.5 million hectares of land. To put that in perspective, that’s an area larger than Greece. As we get into the fire season here in Portugal we should be aware that this is a universal problem and there is a huge amount of co-operation between the countries to combat these fires but it needs everyone’s help to be sure of combating these events.

With the weather getting hotter and wind increasing in the Algarve we must all be on our guard and report any signs of smoke or flames at the earliest opportunity rather than waiting for someone else to do it. So far this year the Algarve has been pretty quiet regarding fires but the season has only just begun so please be aware. One new initiative has been happening in Portimao with The program “School and Risks… Prepare to Protect!” Throughout the 2023/2024 academic year, it carried out several awareness-raising actions in public and private schools, in the municipality of Portimão, reaching 13 thousand students and 600 teaching and non-teaching staff.

The activity implemented by the Municipal Civil Protection Service (SMPC) of Portimão in 2014, in the current academic year organised 229 awareness-raising actions.

These actions were adapted to each level of education, covering aspects such as the use of the number 112, calling for help, dangerous materials, natural and technological risks in the region, basic life support, railway risks and defence of the forest against fires. A great initiative that we at Safe Communities wholeheartedly support.

Now for a look at what other stories have been happening across the region.

Judicial Police records an average of 3000 new sexual crimes per year

The Judiciary Police (PJ) records an average of around 3,000 sexual crimes per year and around 500 new victims of this type of crime every quarter, according to the deputy national director of the PJ.

“We are having quarterly contact – we carry out this control every quarter – with around 500 new victims of sexual crimes every quarter. We are having annual contact with around 3000 sexual crime situations per year”, declared Carlos Farinha, during a seminar on violence promoted by the Chamber of Faro.

Violence in a sexual context is an issue that “has greatly concerned” the PJ and which led to the creation, in 2022, of a Sexual Crime Observatory within the police force. To better understand this reality, a “separation was made between face-to-face and online crimes and between crimes against children and crimes against adults”. The PJ also sought to “study and monitor new manifestations, trends or signs in unaccounted areas, such as [crimes] associated with religion, sport and gyms”, he explained. Carlos Farinha reinforced the importance of reporting sexual crimes to police entities, highlighting that often using social media “may not be enough to reach the system”. According to him, the problem of signalling and early signalling continues to be a problem of particular importance.

The deputy national director of the PJ also warned that urban violence has had “an effective and worrying growth” in Portugal, associating this increase with the youth of those involved and the futility of motivations, specifying as the main reason “there are more and more young people involved in the issue of urban violence”.

Furthermore, he added, “there are more and more people with more futile reasons for urban violence”, situations that “escalate even further when they are fueled by the use of firearms”.

GNR arrest 6 and seize thousands of drug packets

 The National Republican Guard (GNR) seized more than 33 thousand doses of drugs and detained six people during an operation to combat drug trafficking that took place on Monday in Loulé, Tavira and Faro.

The operation culminated in an investigation initiated a year ago by the Criminal Investigation Center (NIC) of Loulé of the GNR, motivated by the “feeling of insecurity in the community of Tôr”, in the municipality of Loulé, specified the Territorial Command of Faro of the GNR in a statement.

According to the same security force, the investigation “allowed the establishment of a network of trafficking, distribution and sale of narcotic products” that allegedly carried out criminal activity in the Algarve region. In total, six people were arrested, five men and one woman, aged between 39 and 58, and 32,492 doses of hashish, 593 of cocaine and 11 of marijuana were seized.

“The operation consisted of a fixed device that guaranteed the monitoring of the suspects, with the approaches and arrests carried out in various locations in the municipalities of Loulé, Faro and Tavira”, stated the Guard.

The GNR also seized two firearms, two compressed air weapons, a crossbow, eight vehicles, various communications equipment, counterfeit notes and more than seven thousand euros in cash.

The six detainees will be presented to the Court of Faro to be heard in the first judicial interrogation.

The operation involved a total of 54 soldiers from the criminal investigation, the intervention detachment, the Coastal and Borders Control Unit, and had the support of the Public Security Police (PSP).

10 detained in Drug Raid in Portimao and Lagoa

Dozens of PSP agents are, this Monday, June 24th, carrying out searches in Portimão and Lagoa as part of the fight against drug trafficking. 10 people have already been detained.

In total, around 20 searches have been carried out, both at home and outside the home.

These searches were the result of an investigation that had been ongoing for approximately a year, with the aim of combating drug trafficking in the region, particularly in the municipalities of Portimão, Lagoa, Silves and Lagos, explains the PSP.

So far, 10 people have been arrested and three have been charged with the crimes of drug trafficking, possession of a prohibited weapon and receipt.

The search actions led to the seizure of “significant quantities”, including cocaine and hashish, as well as thousands of euros in cash.

This action involved dozens of PSP elements, also counting on the operational support of the Republican National Guard (GNR).

Municipalities in the Algarve recognized for the “Quality of Senior Physical Activity Programs”

 The municipalities of Alcoutim, Faro, Lagoa and Portimão received recognition for “Quality of Senior Physical Activity programs”, by the company Cidade Social , last month.

This recognition implies the preparation of an application, based on a regulation that determines the requirements and, to maintain recognition, the frequency of a training session and the establishment of an improvement plan. These programs constitute systematic approaches for municipalities in an age range of the population that is increasingly growing as a percentage of the entire Portuguese population.

“It is increasingly important for Portuguese Municipal Councils to create programs and activities for this segment of the population, in order to improve their quality of life”, reveals Pedro Mortágua Soares, CEO of Cidade Social – the entity that awarded the recognition and awards to Portuguese municipalities. This is just one of the specific recognitions given to local authorities in the Faro district, however, in November last year 11 of the 16 municipalities were recognized as “Sports Friendly Municipalities”: Alcoutim, Castro Marim, Vila Real de Santo António, Tavira, Faro, Loulé, Albufeira, Silves, Lagoa, Portimão and Lagos.

Some were visited by the program’s national coordinating entity, as happened in recent days. During these visits, analyses were carried out on some technical aspects, opportunities for improvement were identified and good practices implemented by these municipalities were shared.

Participation in the Município Amigo do Desporto program is dependent on compliance with a set of requirements in terms of the activity of municipal councils in the area of ​​sport.

The Município Amigo do Desporto program is a training program, sharing of good practices, recognition and networking.

In the month of May, the councils of Portimão and Lagos were also visited, which are part of the Solidarity Local Authorities program, which works along the same lines as the Sports program, but within the scope of municipal Social Action.

In the case of the Portimão municipality, Cidade Social recognized two entities that work within the scope of social intervention for people with disabilities, APPDA – Algarve and Teia D’ Impulsos, recognizing the merit of their interventions in society and the impact they have had in the last years. Cidade Social, founded in 2014, is a company specialising in training and benchmarking in the areas of sport, culture and social action. It has three brands – “Município Amigo do Desporto”, “Autarquia Solidária” and “Sports Friendly Hotel”.

Until the next time Stay Safe.