Month: September 2017

Lisbon, Sept. 27 (Lusa) – Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world and, according to the Minister of Internal Administration, the security climate creates an environment conducive to attracting foreign investment and securing more residents from other European countries.

Constança Urbano de Sousa was the guest of a lunch organized by the Portuguese-Spanish Chamber of Commerce and Industry with businessmen, in which she spoke of the area of ​​security, fight against terrorism and transnational crime, increased flow of immigrants and refugees, investment increase in the number of residents and “good cooperation” between Portugal and Spain.

“Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world and since 2008 we have witnessed a very sustained and continuous decline in general crime, with a reduction between 2008 and 2016 of 21% less and violent and serious crime of 32% in this time period” , revealed the minister.

In the first half of the year, provisional data indicate that the downward trend continues in comparison with the same period of last year, in the order of 9%.

“The various international indexes rank us third as one of the safest countries in the world,” she said.

In Portugal there is a climate of security and public tranquility that has allowed, according to Constança Urbano de Sousa, the country’s economic development and investment, both of which have “an enormous added value in terms of competitiveness and economic and financial recovery.

 

In the largest action of its kind, INTERPOL’s Operation Pangea X targeting the illicit online sale of medicines and medical devices, saw some 400 arrests worldwide and the seizure of more than USD 51 million worth of potentially dangerous medicines.

Europol supported INTERPOL’s Operation Pangea with two analysts performing checks on entities against Europol’s databases. In addition, a specialist and an analyst with a mobile office and a device for forensic support were sent by Europol to Budapest, Hungary, to conduct checks on the spot.

Overall, involving 197 police, customs and health regulatory authorities from a record 123 countries, Operation Pangea X led to a record number of 25 million illicit and counterfeit medicines seized worldwide.

The action resulted in the launch of 1058 investigations, 3584 websites taken offline and the suspension of more than 3000 online adverts for illicit pharmaceuticals.

Among the fake and illicit medicines seized during the international week of action (12 – 19 September) were dietary supplements, pain reduction pills, epilepsy medication, erectile dysfunction pills, anti-psychotic medication and nutritional products.

In addition to medicines, Operation Pangea X also focused on the sale of

Illicit medical devices, such as dental devices and implants, condoms, syringes, medical testing strips and surgical equipment. Illicit devices worth an estimated USD 500 000 were recovered.

Starting with just eight countries in 2008, Operation Pangea has grown exponentially during the past 10 years, with police, customs and drug regulatory authorities from 123 countries taking part in 2017.

The main trend identified during the decade of Pangea operations is the continuous growth of unauthorised and unregulated online pharmacies, which capitalise on increasing consumer demand worldwide to advertise and sell illicit or counterfeit medicines.

 

On 17^th September the Loures Division of PSP Lisbon Metropolitan Command arrested three men between 21 and 31 years old, suspected of drug trafficking and possession of a prohibited weapon.

One of the detainees was arrested as a result of an arrest warrant issued by the judicial authority.

In The course of the investigations launched and following a planned police operation, it was possible locate and seize the following: 2 automatic firearms cal. 9 mm; an automatic rifle, cal. 5,56 mm; a .22 pistol; a ballistic vest; 168 calibre rounds. 22; 150 rounds, cal. 9 mm; 17 rounds, cal. 5,56 mm; 25 rounds, cal. 12; 2 precision balances; 9232 doses of hashish; 2661 doses of marijuana; 41 doses of cocaine; 17 grams of mdma and  EUR 1050 in cash.

The Detainees will be present at the judicial court of the north, the core of Loures, for the purposes of 1th judicial interrogation.

On 17th September the Metro command of the Lisbon PSP, through the criminal investigation division,  held a man aged 26 years, on suspicion of the crime of theft in commercial establishments.

After several steps steps, it was found that the suspect was indicted for the practice of crimes against in the estate, by using metal pieces, to force open the doors of premises..

The Detainee was surprised after he was seen breaking into the door of an establishment, having in his possession three metal pieces, as well as other objects that were related to three more thefts to establishments between 15 and 17th of September.

The value of the damage caused by the break-in of the doors amounts to EUR 3000 and the value of the items stolen at EUR 1800

The Detainee, with a criminal record, has appeared in court with an application to be remanded in custody.

Officials from the criminal investigation division Lisbon on September 19, in the parish of Alvalade, intercepted and identified a man, aged 27 suspected of committing a murder.

At the time of his interception, the suspect did not react when questioned in connection with the murder which occurred in the small camp area on 13 September.

It is noted that the murder occurred when the suspect, after an argument among several individuals, is suspected of striking two persons including the victim with several blows with a weapon. The other person was wounded in the attack.

The investigation has been passed to the Judicial Police.

A Crime Prevention and Public Safety Seminar will take place at the Auditorium of Expoeste, ADIO-Associao para o Desenvolvimento Industrial do Oeste. Avenue Infante D. Enrique, no 1 2500 918 Caldas da Rainha on Wednesday 11^th October 2017. Doors open 15.30 event starts at 16.00 hrs and lasts until 19.00 hrs. Presentations in English/Portuguese.

This event which is an open invitation to everyone, is being organised by Associação Safe Communities Portugal in conjunction with the GNR, PSP, Bombeiros and Policia Maritima.

The aim of the event is to raise public awareness of the roles of the services represented and also to foster greater understanding of the needs of the communities.

Presentations by each of the organisations will be followed by a question and answer session.

Meeting the needs of the communities in which they serve, helps the organisations to develop greater understanding of issues of concern. Equally important is that the communities are able to assist the Emergency services where appropriate in order to maintain or develop a safer and peaceful community.

Safe Communities Portugal has worked tirelessly with the services represented for this end and look forward to developing a stronger collaborative approach which benefits everyone.

This event gives you the opportunity to meet and question the representatives and gain a greater understanding of their work.

Safe Communities Portugal can be accessed on www.safecommunitiesportugal.com or Facebook. David Thomas president of Safe Communities Portugal and the officials representing the services look forward to meeting with you, on the 11^th of October.

 

The German and Portuguese police on Tuesday conducted an operation in several apartments linked to an organization suspected of promoting false marriages to facilitate the arrival of Nigerians to Europe.

Portugal was the recruitment center for an international network of marriages for convenience (better known as white marriages), which in turn enabled illegal immigrants to obtain authorization to stay in Europe.

This group, led by a Nigerian, was investigated by the German authorities and the SEF, and included a national. He had a mission to travel to Portugal to convince women to marry those who needed legal documents to apply for residence or asylum in Europe.

The Portuguese, one of five detainees in Germany during the operation on Tuesday, promised to pay two to three thousand euros to women who agreed to go to the country where the illegal immigrant was located – who paid high get the fictitious wedding – and sign the documents that prove the marriage. Most of the time it was the only time the couple saw each other.

According to the official, the recruitment made by Portuguese – who lived in Germany – was in the Greater Lisbon area, especially in neighborhoods known to have social problems.

“The only phase of the network’s activity in Portugal was that of recruitment.” It is a country of passage, people with economic difficulties may think the risk is small. of the funds involved], “said Paulo Pimenta. According to the SEF inspector, many times “mothers take their daughters to these marriages. Recruitment ends up being done in a very close circle.”

Already in the case of women drug addicts that the network sought the goal was not so much to “marry” them, but to pay them for the documents. “Sometimes they pay them 50 euros for the passport, which is then falsified and used for other activities, so many ask for the documents two or three times saying that they lose them, so they always have one available.”

Hundreds of German police carried out dozens of searches on Tuesday morning for couples who have forged fake marriages for husbands to obtain EU residence permits.

About 41 apartments were searched in Berlin, Potsdam, Frankfurt and Görlitz.

A man and four women were detained in a police action, although authorities said they had knowledge of at least 70 fake marriages, Deutsche Welle (DW) said on its website. Passports, residence permits, mobile phones and computer equipment were also seized.

A similar operation also took place in Portugal, the Associated Press news agency reported.

German federal police spokesman Jens Schobranski said the suspects are a 50-year-old man, two 46- and 50-year-old Nigerian women, and two German women aged 55 and 64.

The men paid about 13,000 euros for falsified marriage certificates from Nigeria, which were presented to the German authorities and accompanied by an elaborate love story confirmed by the Portuguese “woman.”

Women usually returned to Portugal within a few days.

According to federal police, the searches are designed to determine if the houses indicate that they are occupied by a couple.

The German authorities are cooperating with Europol to prove that marriages are being falsified.

The operation was the second of large scale triggered in recent months by the German police against fraudulent visas.

In June, police dismantled a network of “fake fathers”, whereby German men were paid to include their names on children’s birth certificates of immigrants from Vietnam, various regions of Africa and eastern Europe.

Babies immediately guaranteed German citizenship, allowing their mothers to apply for residence permits. Source Diarios de Noticais

Very good news is that Angela Morado, Proconsul at the British Vice Consulate in Portimão, has been presented with an Honorary MBE, awarded to her by Her Majesty the Queen, in recognition of “her significant contribution to relations between the United Kingdom and Portugal”.

The award was formally presented by the British Ambassador to Portugal, Kirsty Hayes, at a reception on 29^th September in Portimão.

The Ambassador said in tribute: “Angie has proved herself to be a consummate professional in dealing tenaciously with hundreds of consular cases, and providing exemplary support to many distressed and vulnerable British nationals.

“Angie always sees each and every person as an individual, an essential skill in consular work, where each person has a set of unique, personal circumstances, even if the type of situation is one she has dealt with many times before.

“She has a seemingly limitless supply of empathy and compassion for fellow human beings, often facing up to the worst situation in their lives in a foreign country, sometimes alone, where they don’t speak the language or understand the norms”.

At Safe Communities Portugal it has been my great pleasure to work with Angie over a period of nearly 5 years. During this time she has provided constant support to our work, in dealing with individual cases, presenting at seminars and undertaking several joint projects.

She is one of the most passionate and dedicated persons it has been my pleasure to meet, and this award is really well deserved. It was my honour to be there at the presentation.

The Ambassador outlined in her speech Angie’s tremendous contribution and her overseas deployment sometimes at short notice dealing with crisis and assist British nationals in the countries concerned.

In October 1988, she started working for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office at the British Consulate in the Algarve, having been advised about the job vacancy by her previous employer, Zita Neto, Director of the language school Interlingua in Portimão. The British Consulate was just up the road from the school.

“I was interviewed by the then Honorary British Consul, Dr José Pearce de Azevedo, to whom I am ever grateful for teaching me the Portuguese I am able to read, write and speak today,” she says.

Having started as a consular support officer, she was promoted to consular assistant in 1994. With the retirement of her former colleagues Ron Underwood and Zefita Azevedo, she was promoted to Proconsul and then appointed Vice Consul in 2004.

She has served under seven consuls. Commenting on her MBE award, Roger Nuttall, the British Consul in the Algarve between 2000 and 2005, who now lives in retirement in England, said: “Among former colleagues in my 40 plus years in the Diplomatic Service, Angela Morado was simply the best consular officer I ever worked with. She was conscientious, professional, and wonderful with the public, British and Portuguese alike. I wish we could clone Angela for every consular job in the Service”.

Angela’s own reaction to the MBE award: “I am truly honoured for the recognition and proud to work for this organisation that has provided me with so many opportunities in my career to learn and develop and to travel.

“Above all it is the great job satisfaction I have every day in being able to help vulnerable people. Within the consulate we have a saying that “there is never a dull day” and this makes my job exciting.

“I have always worked with fantastic teams who have been supportive especially when dealing with the more complex cases.

“It is a luxury these days to be able to say that I get paid for the job that I love doing

The Spanish Civil Traffic Guard has detected a group of cars that crossed Portugal and Spain as part of illegal road racing. Three drivers were arrested, eight reported and several cars seized.

The race was intercepted in the municipality of Saragossa, on the AP-2 road, when the vehicles were travelling between Catalonia and Madrid, one of several stages of the route, called by the organizers “The Challenge 2017 – The Private Rally” ( The 2017 Challenge – The Private Rally).

The facts occurred on September 5 but only now came to the public, through the Spanish Civil Guard Traffic (Civil Guard Traffic).

The warning about the presence of several vehicles moving at abnormally high speeds was given by several motorists to the authorities, who quickly set up an operation to find the transgressors.

According to the Spanish newspaper “ABC”, the Guard placed a mobile radar on the road linking Zaragoza to Madrid, detecting eleven vehicles that were participating in the race. Of these, three were running at more than 210 kms per hour, almost double the maximum speed allowed by law.

On that day and the next day, police were able to intercept and detain the three drivers. The vehicles were seized.

The suspects were in possession of credentials issued by the organization of the race and detailed documentation on the various stages of the race, which runs through Spain and Portugal.

During the days that followed, police were able to identify eight more vehicles suspected of taking part in the same illegal race, which, despite being detected at a higher speed than allowed, did not reach the numbers that led to the arrests.

According to the authorities, it is a race divided into stages, some of which would be carried out on Portuguese roads.

According to the Spanish newspaper, some of the vehicles had stickers to cover the license plates and, thus, prevent them from being detected by the radars. Source Diarios de Noticais

The Castelo Branco court today sentenced a former firefighter to 12 years and six months’ imprisonment, for causing nine forest fire crimes, one of which was in its most serious form.

The former firefighter was accused of starting 17 forest fires, between July and September 2016, in the municipality of Proença-a-Nova, district of Castelo Branco.

The group of judges considered the fire that erupted on September 7, 2016, in Proença-a-Nova, the most serious, since it involved “a very large area, 950 hectares, causing considerable damage, and the facts were proven that it caused considerable risk to persons and property.”

In relation to the two fires of the afternoon of August 28, 2016, the defendant was acquitted of the fires in question.

As for the rest, they were considered fire crimes in the least serious manner. The defendant was sentenced to one year and six months for one crime, two years for five other crimes and two years and six months for two further crimes.

For the most serious fire a seven-year prison sentence was imposed, and in legal terms this amounted to a single sentence of 12 years and six months.

Before the judgment was read, a psychiatrist was heard by teleconference, and from the expert’s report the defendant was suffering from a major depressive disorder.

“Depression never changes personality traits. It’s the personality that can shape depressive symptoms,” he said.

The defence, which confirmed that it will appeal the decision, stating that the court was trying to find “a scapegoat.”