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Maritime Police will have a more visible presence at the main beach areas, such as such as Cascais, Almada, Nazaré and Algarve as in many there is likely to be a reduction in lifeguards or at some, no lifeguards.

The main bathing areas will be reinforced by the Maritime Police until Sunday. In a week when temperatures are set to continue high. With a national holiday today (Thursday) many people are expected to take a long weekend break and the coastal areas may be the main choice.

As at this time of year the vast majority of city councils no longer have beaches manned by lifeguards, so the Maritime Police will have “a more visible presence, especially at the weekend”.

However in the case of  Cascais, up to October 15, there will be 38 lifeguards, 25 of them hired by the municipality that decided to keep the bathing season until October 15.

According to Alexandre Tadeia, President of the Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards, there is a need to change the way of contracting lifeguards, in order to avoid this situation and ensure safety at beaches .

At present “The assistance to the bathers is paid by concessionaires and many at this moment no longer have the establishments open,” he told the Diarios de Noticais.

He recalled that “since 2008 we have proposed a different model of assistance to swimmers, with the payment of a municipal fee and then a government entity should hire the lifeguards. He added that the incentive model must be reviewed, since most of the lifeguards are students who are already in university at this time.

The AMN have advised bathers that with hot weather (temperature varying in many areas between 28 – 36 C) coupled with sea temperatures of only 16 and 19C, people should take care to avoid cold water shock.

This is the body’s short term involuntary response to being suddenly immersed in cold water. When the body enters this cold environment there are a number of physiological responses. The sudden lowering of skin temperature is one of the most profound stimuli that the body can encounter. The responses tend to be short lived, but threaten survival.

The AMN state that this can take place particularly when diving into cold water when the air temperature is high. This together with the fact that there are “practically no supervised beach areas at this time of the year, means it is important to step up prevention and safety efforts”.

The Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards adds “People have to be careful when they go to the beach and enter the water particularly for non-swimmers”.

 

The AMN advise is:

• Do not risk swimming if there are any doubts about sea conditions;

• Have an interval of three hours between a normal meal and swimming;

• Take care when walking close to the water line as a sudden wave can drag the person into a dangerous situation;

• Watch children and do not let them play near the water line and

Be careful of entering the water due to the already mentioned low temperature that can cause thermal shocks when diving.

The Judicial Police detained two people and seized 400 kilograms of cocaine aboard a vessel intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean, it was announced today.

In a statement, the PJ said that the National Unit to Combat Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, in collaboration with the Portuguese Navy and the Air Force, has in recent days carried out an operation to combat drug trafficking by sea and intercepted in the Ocean Atlantic, a pleasure craft that was being used to transport 400 kilos of cocaine.

Police seized the vessel and the drug and arrested two foreign men, 45 and 58, who are already in custody. They suspect “a criminal organization of a transnational dimension in different countries of the European continent and Latin America involved in the trafficking.

The cocaine seized was to be transported from the Caribbean to the Europe, and then destined to be distributed by different countries, police said.

This is the result of an investigation initiated recently by PJ following the exchange of information within the framework of the Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Center – Narcotics (MAOC-N).

The investigation is carried out by the PJ in cooperation with the authorities of other countries.

Safe Communities Portugal is organising a Crime Prevention and Public Safety Seminar which 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 Mayor of Caldas da Rainha will open the event.

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 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.

The Mayor of Caldas da Rainha, 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.

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.