Category: Uncategorized

Seizure of 850 kg of tobacco leaf and 320 thousand euros

The Fiscal Action Unit, through the Oporto Tax Action Detachment, conducted an operation on 25^th November in Gondomar, involving a factory dealing in the illegal transformation of tobacco leaf and seized 850 kilos of tobacco leaves with an estimated value of 165 Thousand euros, among other material.

The operation involved two home searches and two non-domiciliary searches, resulting in the arrest of a 52 year old man and the seizure of:

• EUR 320 000 in cash;
• 53 kilograms of molten silver, with estimated value over 36 thousand euros,
• Two computers and seven pieces of telecommunications equipment;
• One illegal weapon and 120 rounds of ammunition;
• 60 packs of manufactured tobacco;
• 160 packets of fine-cut tobacco;
• Two scales;
• Three tobacco leaf grinding machines.

The suspect was arrested whilst caught in the act when he was seven pallets with 850 kilos of tobacco leaf. He has been subjected to house remand pending trial.

It was reported on 23^rd November that the National Police in Spain have arrested 63 “mules” in a European operation against money laundering. The police action, coordinated by Europol, resulted in the arrest of 178 people across Europe. Money mules play a crucial role in money laundering and criminal networks have access to the goods or stolen funds without revealing your identity. Those arrested in Spain could be involved in bank movements amounting to 3 million euros.

The operation was supported by the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) of Europol and the Task Force Joint Action Against Cybercrime (J-CAT) and Eurojust and the European Banking Federation (EBF) forces participated plus security and judicial authorities in Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, United Kingdom, Ukraine and the United States.

Across Europe, 580 money mules were identified and the national law enforcement agencies interviewed 380 suspects in the course of the action week (14-18 November 2016), with overall reported losses amounting to EUR 23 million. During the week of the joint action, Europol and Eurojust set up a command post and a judicial coordination centre to assist the national authorities, cross-check all incoming data against the databases and collect intelligence for further analysis. Europol also deployed mobile offices to Italy and Romania. The successful hit on this wide-spread crime was supported by 106 banks and private partners.

On 16^th November at around 22.00 hrs the PSP Command Lisbon through the division of criminal investigation, arrested, a man, aged 42 years suspected of drug trafficking in the area of Amadora.

This arrest was the culmination of an investigation lasting about eight months. As a result of this investigation, a search warrant was obtained and executed with the following being seized:

• 2 single doses of product suspect to be cocaine;
• 1560 euros in cash of the ECB, and
• 2 cell phones.

The Detainee, with a criminal record for various crimes, appeared before a court in Lisbon with an application ti be remanded in prison pending trial.

The crew of the Maritime Police service in Selvagens yesterday carried out a control operation and inspections of three foreign sailboats that approached those islands and wanted to anchor there and disembark eleven crew.

According to information released this afternoon by the Maritime Police, the three sailboats had the home port of Quinta do Lorde, in Caniçal, and intended to continue the trip to Lanzarote, La Palma and La Gomera in the Canary Islands. Police officers found the documentation of sailboats and crew and rescue means existing on board, “being all in legal status.”

The Maritime Police said that carrying out the maritime surveillance radar system to feature “Costa Segura”, which is under permanent monitoring. Police highlighted the Selvagens has the primary mission to ensure the effective exercise of state authority, particularly as regards the surveillance, monitoring, patrolling and police exercise, especially for the protection and preservation of the marine environment and safety navigation, people and goods across the maritime area.

DN Noticais reports that Venezuelan police rescued on Saturday 19th November 2016 , a Portuguese farmer of 57 years who was kidnapped six days ago in the state of Miranda, south of Caracas.

José Gonçalves, was rescued during an operation involving Scientific Investigations Corps agents, Penal and Criminal (CICPC, former Judicial Technical Police), the Miranda Police and the Bolivarian National Guard (military police).

The Portuguese farmer, according to police sources, was abducted by seven armed men on Monday, along with another Portuguese farmer, Augustine Baptist when they were farming their land in the municipality of Guaicaipuro (Miranda state).

Saturday, when police arrived at the hideout, the kidnappers exchanged gunfire with officers.

Three of the kidnappers managed to escape, taking with them the other Portuguese farmer kidnapped.

The police continued with investigations and found him.

On 19th November in the morning the controlled blasting operation overhanging slope Fajã ranch in Camara de Lobos, commenced as planned..

The operation is being carried out by the GIPS – Intervention Group Protection and Rescue of GNR, with support of mountain rescue team of firefighters Câmara de Lobos Volunteers, using mechanical injection to collapse the bedrock which is at risk of detachment.

On 18^th November the GNR in Ponta Delgada, Azores, seized 10,000 bees in the context of supervisory action regarding the importing of live animals into the autonomous region

The GNR said In a statement, that, ” in the absence of any entry permit documentation in the Azores, and considering that the recipient of the bees is not registered as a beekeeper, the bees were seized as a precautionary measure.

The inspection was conducted with the support of the veterinarian of Agrarian Development Service of the island of São Miguel, in which the bees were delivered.

The GNR are investigating the theft and attempted theft from two elderly women, one in Sintra and the other in Mafra, which maybe related.

On 16th November a woman aged over 70 years in Sintra opened her door to a stranger. She was then locked in a room whilst the culprit fled with her mobile phone.

The day before an elderly in Mafra (20 kms away) was approached by a person stating that her bank notes were out of date. Feeling something suspicious she called the GNR and the person fled empty handed.

Comment

This is one of many scams that criminals adopt in targeting elderly people in their homes. Neighbours should be on the look out for strangers approaching the elderly in their homes and should report such suspicions to the police accordingly.

The Director General of prisons stated recently that the prison population stood at 13,937 (15th Nov) compared with the official maximum of 12,600 places.

Of these 84.2% had been convicted and serving sentences, whereas the remainder were on remand pending trial. The Director General added that the figure had stabalised recently under the 14,000 mark.

Comment

At the 31st December 2015, the figure stood at 14,222 including 2303 under remand.

The Judicial Police, through the National Unit to Combat Drug Trafficking (UNCTE), following an investigation which started in the middle of this year, carried out an operation against drug trafficking. This resulted in the detection and dismantling of a sophisticated cannabis plantation consisting of two greenhouses located in a large warehouse in the district of Lisbon. A total of about six hundred plants were seized.

Both greenhouses were – equipped with the necessary equipment for growing, under optimal conditions, large amounts of cannabis plants. The plantations included, in particular air circulation apparatus, fans, large amounts of ballast and lamp of 600W power and corresponding power supplies, ventilation sleeves, carbon filters and fertilizers which were all seized.

During the operations four men, two of whom aged 38 and 39 years old, were arrested and presented to the competent judicial authorities for the application of appropriate enforcement measures.

According to information gathered during the investigation, the four defendants, all foreign nationals without known lawful employment, were part of an organized criminal group that used the country for cultivation of considerable amounts of cannabis leaf, which after drying was exported to several countries in northern Europe, where it was marketed.

The investigation remains the responsibility of the Judicial Police in collaboration with Europol and other European authorities.