Year: 2015

Spanish National Police reported on 15th July 2015, that they had broken up a criminal organization allegedly specializing in committing massive fraud through “pyramid schemes”. The group had obtained more than 50 million euros through scams from 50,000 people, 6,000 of them located in Spain. After more than year and a half of investigation, agents were able to confirm the existence a company that enticed its victims through publicity events, such as as events in luxury hotels, promotional videos or training talks and offered them extra income quickly inserting ads in their company network. Money that was developed by the company included invented virtual currency, with no value, and thus it was impossible for investors to recoup their investments.

Investigation by the National Police began a little over a year and a half ago thanks to a complaint by a former employee of the company, which was presented at the Interior Attaché in Bolivia. Following an investigation from the complaints filed in different parts of Spain by Police experts in financial fraud and money laundering, this led to 20 arrests, two in Madrid, one in Valencia, two in the province of Malaga, eight in the province of Seville, a person in Langreo, two in the province of Alicante and four in Arrecife (Las Palmas). In addition, 18 computers: laptops, hard drives, CPUs and tablets;numerous documents related to fraud and money laundering; 15,505 euros and two luxury cars have been seized.

In parallel, a bank account in Latvia has been blocked with more than 5 million and nearly 22 million US dollars, Canadian dollars 2,600; £1,600 pounds and AU$ 365 has been identified in the scam

Victims captured in talks and publicity events in hotels

The members of this organization had created a wide network of clients / victims who had been enticed through numerous promotional events, such as major events in luxury hotels with all expenses paid, promotional videos or training talks. The goal was to attract people with promises to supplement their income by achieving the highest number of new clients in the shortest time possible.

These revenues arose from the purchase of the packs that the company offered, and would receive income quickly by simply inserting a series of company announcements on the network.  The packs offered a very big payoff, for example, with an investment of 18,000 thousand dollars one could achieve annual incomes of $ 67,600.

Given this high profitability, the victims did not hesitate to invest in the company, persuading both to friends and family to do the same.

A false virtual currency

Subsequently, the company decides to convert all the money that victims had accumulated in their back-office accounts originally in US dollars into a virtual currency invented by the company.

This new currency had no value so that victims found their dollars have been transformed into something useless, without any chance to recovery.

That original income received by the company was placed in different accounts located in countries classified as tax havens or countries with large tax benefits. The final volume of fraud could amount to some 50 million euros, a toll that could range around 50,000 people worldwide.

The operation was conducted jointly by the Money Laundering Group of Police Headquarters Western Andalusia and specialized agents of the Central UDEF of the General Commissariat of the Judicial Police attached to the Executive Service for the Prevention of Money Laundering (SEPBLAC) ; in collaboration with police Headquarters in eastern Andalusia, Valencia, Asturias and the Canary Islands; and police stations in Alicante, Velez-Malaga, Fuengirola, Elche, Denia, Arrecife and Langreo.

The research, led from the start by the Court of Instruction number sixteen of Seville, it has been directed by the Central Court of Instruction No. 3 of the National Court.

From 17th to 19th July the GNR will increase operations through at patrol and support to road users along the most critical routes in their area of responsibility, in order to ensure safety for citizens moving to / from summer places and / or various events during this time of the year.

During the three days of this 2nd phase of Operation Hermes, around 2834 personnel from the National Traffic Unit and territorial commands, will pay particular attention to driver behaviour that  increases the risk to road safety, namely: · Driving under the influence of alcohol and psychotropic substances; · Speeding; · Not using seat belt and / or child restraint systems; · Improper use of mobile phones; · Dangerous overtaking, change of direction, reversing the against direction of travel, failure to give way and keep safety distances and • Driving without legal requirements.

Operation Hermes runs throughout the summer period, from 03 July to 30 August. During this period the GNR will intensify its actions at various stages providing support to to road users.

Realizing that a lifeguard at Praia do Cantinhoin in Esmoriz, was struggling to rescue a swimmer water, and both were being swept away by the strong current, GNR Guarda Caldas, 33, did not hesitate to intervene.

He dived into the sea and saved the 61-year-old man as well as helping the lifeguard, both of whom returned to the beach safely. The heroic act occurred on 14^th July at 11.00. The military of the GNR, who works with a bicycle patrol at beaches, became aware of a gathering of people and ran immediately to the scene.

After the rescue, although frightened, neither the victim nor the lifeguard needed to be transported to the hospital.

Captain Ribeiro, head of the Detachment of GNR Ovar told the newspaper: “This is not the first time he saved somebody. Two years ago he rescued a person from the sea. So now he is a hero. He always tries to go beyond their mission.”

Circular was published No. 05 / SP / 2015 of 18 June, on “Payment of licensing fees.” This Circular sets out the procedures to be adopted by entities that require the following services and promotes changes to the way payments should be made inherent in the processing:

• Professional Card Application (Personnel Surveillance / Security Officer)
• Initial application / renewal / license endorsement – Initial application / renewal / endorsement of self-protection permit for streamlining new procedures for payment of fees due by administrative proceedings referred to above with reference is made new models of professional card application:
• M-40.1 – Card Request Professional Private Security
• M-50.1 – Professional Card Application Security Officer

The new application models are effective 22.06.2015, must expressly mention who is responsible for payment card – the applicant or the principal to Private which this is bound. For this purpose the form must be completed in electronic form and contain a valid email of the applicant for sending the billing and invoice note. From that date, for the procedures in question, advance payments should not be made (in cash or by transfer) and must await the receipt of the billing statement.

Europol has supported Spanish police* in an operation codenamed Walker, to take down a serious cybercriminal group during a coordinated action in Barcelona. With on-the-spot support from Europol, the action in Spain on 6 July resulted in the arrest of nine suspects, the dismantling of a sophisticated illegal call centre, six house searches and the seizure of numerous pieces of evidence; over 100 mobiles phones and stolen SIM cards, more than EUR 10 000 in cash, credit cards, computer equipment and other devices were taken away for further forensic examination.

The aim of this investigation was to target the cybercriminals and their accomplices who were involved in large scale telecommunication fraud as well as channelling and cashing-out the proceeds of their crimes. The criminals made fraudulent phone calls to premium service numbers set up and managed by other members of the criminal group based outside the EU. Each cybercriminal had their specialty and the group was involved in receiving mobile phones stolen from tourists in Spain, then harvesting and misusing the foreign mobile numbers (until they were blocked by the telecom operators in their countries), before then sending the money earned abroad.

Law enforcement analysed thousands of financial transactions to reconstruct the money flows and destinations across several jurisdictions. The criminal group relied on a network of accomplices who operated the destination bank accounts.

This was a very active criminal group and the damage caused by them is estimated to be at least EUR 2 million, affecting victims in various countries.

This international revenue share fraud (IRSF) is an insidious form of organised criminal activity that generates significant profits for the criminal groups and undermines the legal economy. The global estimated illegal income from this type of crime is more than EUR 45 million. Cooperation between law enforcement authorities, Europol and the telecommunication companies was crucial for the success of this operation, which represents a milestone in this specific area of digital crime.

On 7th July the Judicial Police, in a joint operation conducted by the Centre’s Board and North Board, with the assistance of the Criminal Investigation Department of Aveiro, identified and arrested ten men and a woman suspected of several robberies, perpetrated with the use of firearms.

The gang are believed responsible for more that 15 robberies using stolen vehicles in various locations situated between Aveiro and Braga and specifically on the metropolitan area of Porto. In some of criminal actions, particularly  “carjackings”, the suspects used sirens and flashing lights on the stolen vehicles attempting to pose as Police Officers.

The stolen vehicles, after being used in robberies were then burned or sold.

In the early hours of Tuesday a major Police operation was conducted in the Greater Porto region, targeting this gang, in order undertaking about thirty search warrants at homes As a result they found and seized cars, firearms, disguises, narcotic products, plus other items and documents with high evidential interest.

In some of the neighbourhoods where some conflict was predictable, the Judicial Police was supported by ten Special Unit Police teams and two Quick’s PSP Metropolitan Command of Porto intervention units.

The detainees, aged 19 to 46, some of them with criminal records for crimes of the same nature, will be present at first judicial interrogation, with a view to implementing appropriate enforcement measures.

On the 9th July the Judicial Police, through the Directorate of Lisbon and Tagus Valley, reported that they had identified and arrested two men, 30 and 22 years old, indicted for committing a number of robberies at gunpoint.

The police investigation stems from last year and found that the detainees, along with others who have yet to be identified, carried out between November 2014 and March this year robberies at about thirty premises, including fuel filling stations, pharmacies and restaurants, in the municipalities of Sintra, Cascais, Oeiras and Vila Franca de Xira.

The group wore hoods and had a strongly violent and intimidating profile, using firearms, especially shotguns and pistols, to conducting the robberies, in one case hitting a victim with two shots. The Judicial Police seized since some of the firearms used in robberies and are continuing investigations to identify and arrest the remaining culprits. 

The detainees have been presented for the first judicial interrogation.

Thirteen of the 14 defendants arrested on Thursday 2nd July in an investigation involving private security firms are in custody, according to informed lawyers for the defendants outside the Criminal Court Center (TCIC).

In addition to these 13 defendants who are in custody, a former PSP agent was released, but was banned from contact with elements of SPDE company responsible for security at Dragon Stadium in Porto, and the use of weapons. According to Attorney General’s Office, in Operation Phoenix , in charge of the Central Research Department and Prosecution (DCIAP), those arrested are suspected of criminal association, illegal exercise of private security activity in prohibited weapon detention, aggravated extortion, coercion and serious assualt.

In addition to those arrested on Thursday, searches were conducted in several areas of the country, including Lisbon, Porto, Amarante, Lamego, Braga, Vila Real, Lousada.  Facilities at FC Porto and the residence of the vice-president of Antero Henrique club were searched because of its links with a security company that provides services in FC Porto.

In a statement, the PSP also indicated that 40 weapons, about 121 thousand euros, 10 vehicles and ammunition of various calibres, as well as documentation has been seized.

Since the beginning of the year some 153 000 migrants were detected at Europe’s external borders. This represents a 149% increase when compared to the same pe­riod in 2014 when 61 500 migrants entered Europe.

In May the total number of detections rose by 26% in relation to April and reached 50 500. Considering seasonal trends, it is expected that the migratory pressure will continue to increase during the summer period on all routes.

Compared to April, the largest increase was reported on the Western Balkan route (the Hungarian land border with Serbia) where in May the number of apprehended migrants exceeded 10 000. In the period between 1 January and 31 May 2015, over 50 000 migrants were detected on this route which constitutes an 880% increase com­pared to the same period in 2014.

The land route towards Hungary constitutes the main transit route for migrants who entered the EU from Greece and Bulgaria. This route is considered safer than other routes by migrants from Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries and the fares charged by people smugglers are lower.

Overall, in May, some 19 000 migrants used the Eastern Mediterranean route – a 32% increase since April. Since the beginning of the year, detections on the Eastern Mediterranean route have exceeded 48 000, which is almost five and a half times more than last year. This large increase, mostly due to the rise in the number of Syrian and Afghan migrants poses a significant challenge to the reception capacity in the Greek Aegean Islands.

The migratory situation in Central Mediterranean remains difficult. In May the numbers of detected migrants exceeded 20 500 – the highest monthly level this year and a 29% increase compared to April. In the period between 1 January to 31 May 2015, there were over 47 000 arrivals in Italy, a moderate increase (+14%) compared to the same period in 2014.

Most migrants arriving in Italy this year depart from Libya (over 42 000), but also to a much smaller extent from Egypt (1 740), Turkey (770), Greece (719) and Tunisia (256).

Compared to the first four months of 2014, detections in the Western Mediterranean have increased both on its land and sea borders: with 108% increase at Spain’s land borders between Morocco and Ceuta and Melilla (over 3 200) was reported at the sea route between Morocco and Algeria towards the Spanish Levante coast. The increasing trend is believed to be related to the summer season.

By judgment of the Court of Almada a national citizen has been sentenced to one year imprisonment for slanderous denunciation and defamation.

The person concerned is already serving a sentence of five years and six months for aggravated fraud and falsification of documents following an investigation of the Foreigners and Borders Service. (SEF)

This judgment comes in the wake of a complaint made by the Foreigners and Borders Service, who was the victim of the defamation and slander.

The conviction was made on the 11th of June