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In a major step forward in the development of Safe Communities Portugal (SCP), national protocols have been signed between the association and the Autoridade Nacional de Protectҫao Civil (ANPC) (National Authority for Civil Protection) and Serviҫo de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF).

Both events took place on 10th December 2015 in separate signing ceremonies held at the organisation’s respective headquarters in Lisbon. The SEF protocol was signed by the National Director António Pereira and the ANPC protocol by the President, Major General Francisco Grave Pereira.

The protocols reflect the increasing interaction between SCP and the ANPC and SEF developed initially in the Algarve over the last two to three years. In the case of the ANPC much of this synergy has involved SCP become increasingly involved in creating greater awareness in the foreign community concerning wildfire prevention. This been achieved though communication using, the Association’s websites, social media and at displays and seminars.

In terms of SEF, regular liaison has taken place to help the organization promote its work through the same means as for the ANPC. With the growing threat of terrorism in Europe and the increasing problems of migration it makes sense to form closer links with the organization responsible for border control.

Both protocols cover, the development of joint initiatives to further closer engagement with the foreign community, clarifying issues of interest to that community, the holding of joint events and promoting awareness of government policies, procedures and other news.

In January this year SCP signed a national

On 2^nd December 2, an Indian national was arrested in Leicester, United Kingdom, suspected of document forgery crimes and aiding illegal immigration, wanted in connection with an European arrest warrant issued by the Portuguese authorities.

The suspect was arrested following eight house searches in that city, in response to a letter issued in an investigation conducted by SEF under the guidance of DIAP Lisbon.

This investigation dismantled a criminal organization that was dedicated to the fraudulent acquisition of Portuguese nationality for Indian nationals purporting be born in the former Portuguese territories in India. This enabled them to acquire travel documents and therefore travel within Europe and the USA.

The investigation, called “Magic Book”, was initiated following the detection of Portuguese passport holders who were trying to enter the UK, US and Canada.

At issue is the acquisition of Portuguese nationality by citizens who appeared to have been born in India before 1961 in Goa, Daman and Diu, making use of Indian documentation including birth details, which do not correspond to the real official records.

After several months of investigation and collection of evidence in Portugal, searches and arrests were carried out in the Lisbon area, on 2 June 2015, following which three suspects are in custody and seven other defendants were recorded.

This first operation identified that some 3000 people, who had acquired Portuguese nationality in this way. The “clients” of the network paid 30 thousand euros for the documents, provided by the fraudsters.

Fraud in acquisition of Portuguese citizenship:

1. The procedure for citizenship acquisition starts with false documents (supposedly) certified by Indian Authorities through «Hague Apostille», a formality used for the international certification of documents.
2. Certified documents (birth certificates or passports) are delivered in the Central Registry Office [Conservatória dos Registos Centrais] of Lisbon, together with the application for acquisition of Portuguese citizenship.
3. Once the citizen acquires Portuguese citizenship, identity cards [cartão de cidadão] and passports are requested at the Portuguese diplomatic representations or in national territory.
4. The identity cards enable these new Portuguese citizens to travel to other countries, such as the United Kingdom, United States of America and Canada, where they take up residence.
5. Given that these citizens do not take up residence in Portugal nor have any family or social tie with the Country, this “phenomenon” does not have visibility in national territory, and for that reason it stays off the radar of national authorities.
6. Portuguese citizenship has also been requested posthumously, i.e. the children of alleged citizens born before 1961 in the former Portuguese territories in India request Portuguese citizenship for their deceased parents, based in documents with no credibility and from which all the descendants also become Portuguese. There are also some doubts regarding the feasibility of documents submitted by those alleged “children of deceased citizens”.
7. There were also several situations of children of the same mother with only two and three months age difference who have obtained Portuguese citizenship.
8. Once the citizenship is acquired, the new “Portuguese citizens” marry with third-country nationals, resulting in the legalisation of the spouse in national territory and acquisition of Portuguese citizenship after three years. The members of the criminal organisation who ensured the acquisition of Portuguese nationality by fraudulent means acted in exchange for large amounts of money. Those residing in Portugal and those who maintained convenience residence also receive social benefits, such as income support allowance, or family benefits.

Most of the beneficiaries who acquired Portuguese Nationality now reside in the UK, particularly in the cities of London and Leicester, having obtained Portuguese travel   documents. This has enabled them to travel throughout Europe and traveling to North America.

The European arrest warrant targeted the suspect considered of utmost importance in this organization, who received thousands of euros enabling people to obtain authentic Portuguese travel documents based on fraudulent documents.

In the eight target house searches, were conducted by British authorities, accompanied by SEF personnel.

More than 540 000 migrants have arrived on the Greek islands in the first ten months of the year, which was 13 times more than in the same period of 2014. Syrians continued to account for the largest number of arrivals, although in recent weeks the share of Afghan nationals has risen significantly.

Despite the worsening weather conditions in October, more than 150 000 people made the journey from Turkey to Greece last month compared to fewer than 8 500 in October 2014.

As a direct knock-on effect, in the January-October period some 500 000 detections of illegal border crossings were recorded on the EU’s external borders in the Western Balkans, mainly on Hungary’s and Croatia’s borders with Serbia. Most of the migrants detected in the region had earlier arrived on one of the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea and then left the EU to travel through the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia. After Hungary constructed a fence on its border with Serbia and tightened border controls in September, the migrants have begun crossing Croatia’s border with Serbia in record numbers.

As part of its effort to assist Greece and Western Balkan states in dealing with the unprecedented migratory pressure, Frontex has strengthened Operation Poseidon Sea and deployed 114 officers on Lesbos and other Greek islands to support the local authorities in identifying, registering and fingerprinting of new arrivals. This includes 37 officers deployed at the Lesbos hotspot, where Frontex is completing a pilot project of an accelerated registration process to shorten the waiting time for the migrants and pave the way for relocation of asylum seekers.

Frontex has also offered to increase its presence on the Greek land borders with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania, as well as Croatia’s border with Serbia.

“We are in close contact with Greece and Croatia to fine tune the kind of support these EU Member States expect from Frontex,” said Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri.

In contrast to the record numbers in Greece and the Western Balkans, the Central Mediterranean route saw the number of people crossing from Libya to Italy drop by half in October to 8 500 compared to the same month of 2014. This was in large part due to a shortage of boats available to smugglers, bringing the figure for the first ten months down to 140 000 versus nearly 155 000 in the same period of 2014.

Overall, the number of detections of illegal border crossings at the EU’s external borders between January and October stood at an unprecedented 1.2 million, four times the 282 000 recorded in all of last year.

The following is the list of the location of PSP radar speed checks and dates and times for November 2015

AÇORES 

11/nov/15            14H00/18H00    Av. Alberto I Príncipe do Mónaco, Freguesia Sta Clara, concelho de Ponta Delgada, ilha de S. Miguel
18/nov/15            13H00                   Av. Alberto I Príncipe do Mónaco, Freguesia Sta Clara, concelho de Ponta Delgada, ilha de S. Miguel
09/nov/15           07H00                    Estrada Regional n.º 1, lugar da Atalaia e Terreiro das Covas, freguesia de Ribeirinha, concelho de Angra do Heroísmo, ilha Terceira
20/nov/15           13H00                     Estrada Regional n.º 1, no lugar do Negrito, freguesia de S. Mateus da Calheta, concelho de Angra do Heroísmo, ilha Terceira
10/nov/15           14H00                    Estrada Regional, freguesia de Sta Luzia, concelho S. Roque do Pico, ilha do Pico
18/nov/15           08H00                    Estrada Regional, freguesia da Criação Velha, concelho Madalena do Pico, ilha do Pico
AVEIRO
03/nov/15           15H00/19H00     Rua Dr. Eduardo Vaz – Santa Maria da Feira
05/nov/15           09H00/13H00      Rua Cimo de Vila – Ovar
06/nov/15           15H00/19H00     Av. da Liberdade – São João da Madeira
09/nov/15           14H00/20H00     EN 109 – Km 58.1 – Aveiro
11/nov/14 0        8H00/14H00        Rua Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro – Santa Joana – Aveiro
13/nov/15           08H00/14H00     EN 109 – Km 58.1 – Aveiro
16/nov/15           08H00/14H00      EN 109 – Km 58.1 – Aveiro
19/nov/15           09H00/13H00     Rua da Circunvalação – Santa Maria da Feira
20/nov/15           08H00/14H00     EN 16 – Km 0.5 (Junto à Corvauto) – Aveiro
20/nov/15           9H00/13H00        Variante da Rua 19 – Espinho
20/nov/15           5H00/19H00        Av. Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro – Ovar
23/nov/15           08H00/14H00     Av. da Liberdade – Glória – Aveiro
27/nov/15           08H00/14H00     EN 109 – Km 58.1 – Aveiro
30/nov/15           08H00/14H00     EN 109 – Km 58.1 – Aveiro

BEJA

04/nov/15           09H00/12H00     Av. Salgueiro Maia – Beja
18/nov/15           09H00/12H00     Av. Salgueiro Maia-Beja

BRAGA

03/nov/15           14H00/19H00     Circular de Barcelos (sentido Andorinhas/Cibernética) – Barcelos
06/nov/15           21H00/03H00     Av. João Paulo II – Braga
13/nov/15           21H00/03H00     Av. António Macedo – Braga
19/nov/15           14H00/17H00     Av. do Cávado – Braga
24/nov/15           08H00/12H00     Circular de Barcelos, sentido Esposende/Barcelos – Barcelos
26/nov/15           4H00/17H00        Av. Frei Bartolomeu dos Mártires – Braga

BRAGANÇA

12/nov/15           08H00/13H45     Av. das Comunidades Europeias – Mirandela
25/nov/15           08H00/12H00     Av. General Humberto Delgado – Bragança

CASTELO BRANCO

05/nov/15           08H00/12H00     Alameda Pêro da Covilhã – Covilhã
09/nov/15           14H00/18H00     EN 3 – Campo de Obstáculos – Castelo Branco
11/nov/15           08H00/12H00     Alameda Pêro da Covilhã – Covilhã
23/nov/15           08H00/12H00     Av. Cidade de Zhuhai – Castelo Branco

COIMBRA

03/nov/15           10H00                    IC 3 – Coimbra
06/nov/15           07H30                    Ponte Edgar Cardoso – Figueira da Foz
18/nov/15           14H00                    Rua da Vidreira – Figueira da Foz
24/nov/15           17H00                    Ponte Rainha Santa Isabel – Coimbra

ÉVORA
02/nov/15           08H30                     EN 114 – Évora
05/nov/15           10H30                    Av. Lino de Carvalho – Évora
13/nov/15           09H00                    EN 18, ao Gil – Estremoz
16/nov/15           10H00                    EN 18 (Évora/ Estremoz) – Évora
24/nov/15           12H00                    EN 114-A – Évora
27/nov/15           09H00                    Av. Rainha Santa Isabel – Estremoz
30/nov/15           17H30                    EN 254 (Redondo/Évora) – Évora

FARO

04/nov/15           15H00/17H00     Av. V2 – Portimão
09/nov/15           07H00/09H00     EN nº 508 – Tavira
10/nov/15           08H30/12H30     Av. 5 de Outubro – Olhão
12/nov/15           21H00/23H00     Av. Calouste Gulbenkian, sentido Este-Oeste – Faro
25/nov/15           10H00/12H00      EN 125 – Kim 102.8, sentido Norte-Sul – Faro
26/nov/15           09H00/12H30     Av. de Castro Marim – Vila Real Santo António

GUARDA

10/nov/15           07H30                    VICEG (Via de Cintura Externa da Guarda)- Guarda

LEIRIA

12/nov/15           09H00/12H00     Av. Monsenhor Manuel Bastos Rodrigues de Sousa – Peniche
23/nov/15           09H00/12H00     Rua Imaculada Conceição – Telheiro

LISBOA

02-nov-15            02H30                    IP7 – SUL/NORTE
03-nov-15            09H00-17H00      Av. Marginal em frente ao Hotel Miragem- Cascais, no sentido Cascais-Lisboa.
04-nov-15            09H00-12H00       Estrada dos Salgados – Amadora
07-nov-15            22H30                     IP7 – SUL/NORTE
09-nov-15            14H00-18H00      EN 10, Km 126.7, no sentido Sobralinho-Alverca – Vila Franca de Xira
10-nov-15            9H00-17H00        Av. Marginal em frente ao Hotel Miragem – Cascais, no sentido Cascais-Lisboa.
12-nov-15            08H00-12H30      Av. Marginal St.º Amaro de Oeiras , sentido Lisboa /Cascais (km 8.2)
13-nov-15            14H00-18H00      Reta do Cabo, Km 118.4, sentido Vila Franca de Xira-Porto Alto
14-nov-15            01H00                    Reta do Cabo – Vila Franca de Xira
16-nov-15            07H30                     IP7 – SUL/NORTE
21-nov-15            22H30                      IC19
23-nov-15             09H00-12H00      Variante de Acesso ao LoureShopping, Mealhada – Loures
24-nov-15            14H30-16H00       Av. Dr. Miguel Freire da Cruz – Cacém
25-nov-15            07H30                     Av. Padre Cruz – Lisboa
26-nov-15            08H00-12H00      Reta do Cabo – Vila Franca de Xira

MADEIRA

03/nov/15           17H30                     VÊ 1 Pico do Tanoeiro/VE 1 – túnel do Cortado
04/nov/15            17H00                   VE5
05/nov/15           18H00                    VÊ – Porto da Cruz
06/nov/15            14H00                   Rua da Ribeira – Machico
09/nov/15           14H00                    VR1
10/nov/15           14H00                    VÊ Porto da Cruz
11/nov/15           08H00                    Estrada do Aeroporto
12/nov/15            08H00                    Rua Manuel Passos
12/nov/15            18H45                   VR1 desde a Rotunda do Caniçal até à Ribeira Brava
17/nov/15           08H45                    Av. do Infante, Estrada Monumental e Rua Pestana Júnior
16/nov/15           14H00                    VR1
18/nov/15           07H45                    VR1 desde a Rotunda do Caniçal até à Ribeira Brava
19/nov/15           14H00                    Estrada Santa Catarina
20/nov/15           20H00                     VR1
23/nov/15           14H00                    VÊ Porto da Cruz
24/nov/15           13H45                    VR1 desde a Rotunda do Caniçal até à Ribeira Brava
25/nov/15           07H00                    VR 1 Km 6.0 Sentido Oeste/Este – Quinta Grande
26/nov/15           18H00                    VR1 Pico Tanoeiro/VEl – Túnel do Cortado – Santana
30/nov/15            08H00                   Estrada do Aeroporto

PORTO

03/nov/15            14H00/18H00    Estrada da Circunvalação – 15443 – Porto
10/nov/15           08H00/12H00     Estrada  D. Miguel – Gondomar
17/nov/15           14H00/18H00      Rua Ribeiro Cambado – Valongo
20/nov/15         08H00/12H00      Estrada da Circunvalação 14022 – Matosinhos
24/nov/15         20H00/24H00     Av. AEP – Porto
30/nov/15        20H00/24H00     Estrada  da Circunvalação – 9389 – Porto

PORTALEGRE

13/nov/15        14H00 Av. De Badajoz – Portalegre
18/nov/15 16H00 EN 372 – Elvas

SANTARÉM

04/nov/15      14H00/18H00   Rua 1.º de Maio, Nicho dos Rodrigos – Torres Novas
09/nov/15      14H00/18H00   Rua Atriz Alda Rodrigues – Santarém
10/nov/15      08H00/12H00   Rua Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro – Ourém
12/nov/15       14H00/18H00   EN 110 – Alvito – Tomar
17/nov/15      08H00/12H00   Av. Dr. Sá Carneiro – Abrantes
24/nov/15      13H0/17H00     Caminho Municipal n.º 1398 – Cartaxo
30/nov/15     07H00/11H00  Rua Afonso Henriques  – Entroncamento

SETUBAL

05/nov/15    14H00 Túnel do Centro-Sul, Sentido Costa-Almada – Almada
05/nov/15    14H00 Av. Fialho Gouveia, Circular Externa, Estrada Seixalinho – Montijo
01/nov/15    08H00 EN 10.3 – Barreiro
12/nov/15    14H00 EN 10 – Setúbal
24/nov/15   09H00 Av. do Mar – Corroios

VIANA DO CASTELO

12/nov/15  09H30    Av. 25 de Abril – Viana do Castelo
22/nov/15  09H30    Estrada da Papanata – Viana do Castelo

VILA REAL

04/nov/15   08H00/10H00   Av. da Europa – Vila Real
06/nov/15 08H00/10H00    Rua da Paz – Chaves
12/nov/15 13H30/15H30     Av. Aureliano Barrigas – Vila Real
17/nov/15 13H30/15H30     Av. do Tâmega – Chaves
27/nov/15 08H00/10H00   Rua Vasco Sameiro – Vila Real
30/nov/15 08H00/10H00   Av. Rainha Dona Mafalda – Chaves

VISEU

06/nov/15 08H00 Estrada da Circunvalação – Viseu
10/nov/15 15H00 Av. D. Egas Moniz – Lamego
16/nov/15 08H00 Av. Tenente Coronel Silva Simões – Viseu
25/nov/15 15H00 Av. Egas Moniz – Lamego
27/nov/15 08H00 Av. do Regimento de Infantaria  14 – Viseu

 

On 17^th October the Spanish Police conducted a macro operation against child pornography as culminating in the arrest of 81 people involved in the exchange through Internet of videos and sex pictures featuring minors. Some of the thousands of images seized by the agents are extremely harsh and fall into sadism or bestiality. The all male detainees, including two children and two with intellectual disabilities shared files through P2P networks.

The investigation began as a result of “Ciberpatrullaje” developed by the National Police. Agents specialized in technological research continuously monitor various channels such as file sharing peer to peer networks, media used to distribute and download paedophile material Network.

After nearly a year of investigation, the researchers were able to identify dozens of users, protected by the feeling of anonymity that offer them these channels, sharing pictures and sex videos featuring children.

The final macro operation took place involving 300 agents arresting 81 people throughout Spain. In total they searched 80 house in which investigators seized and analysed computer equipment allegedly used to commit crimes. Some 96 hard drives, 58 computers, 68 pen drives, 4 tablets, 195 CDs and DVDs, 18 mobile phones, 25 memory cards, one console, one MP4 1 camcorder and 2 cameras, all support thousands of images of child pornography, were seized.

The research was conducted by officers of the Brigade of Technological Research and Judicial Police Brigades provinces and towns throughout Spain. Agents are continuing to analyse and are working on the intercepted material to determine the possible existence of paedophile crimes, sexual abuse of minors and connection with other paedophiles.

The Judicial Police, through the National Counter Terrorism Unit (UNCT), conducted an operation and freed a young kidnapped person and at the same time arresting three men, aged between 23 and 26 years, for kidnapping and extortion.

The abduction, tool place in the city center of Lisbon, late on 28th October. The victim aged 22 years was later freed by the Judicial Police in Vialonga. The motive of these facts is allegedly related to drug trafficking.

During the abduction, the culprits acted violently, in order to to force the victim to pay the ransom required.  Since the victim did not have the money to make any type of payment, the kidnappers then began to coerce and press for payment.

 The detainees will be present at the first court hearing for the application of appropriate enforcement measures.

PSP Superientendente Luís Carrilho has been awarded by the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, as an “Outstanding Role Model”.

The award was made for his work as the Police Commander whilst attached to the UN Peace Keeping Mission to the Central African Republic. Aged 49 years, Superientendent Corrilho has previously served in similar roles in East Timor and Haiti.

He is the first Portuguese national to have received this prestigious award which is given annually.

Comment

Many congratulations and an excellent reflection on the diverse and professional work of the PSP

The PSP have announced deatails of the radar spped checks from toda7 26th October to the 30th of this month..

Açores
26-out-15 07H00/13H00 Estrada Regional n.º 1 de 1ª Classe, no lugar da Ponta Nova, entre a freguesia da Feteira e o Porto Judeu, concelho de Angra do Heroísmo – ilha Terceira.

Aveiro
26-out-15 08H00/14H00 Estrada Nacional 16 – Aveiro, KM 0.5 (JUNTO À CORVAUTO)
30-out-15 08H00/14H00 Av. da Universidade, Glória – Aveiro

Braga
27-out-15 14H00/19H30 Rotunda Cibernética – Barcelos
31-out-15 00H30/03H30 Av. António Macedo – Braga

Castelo Branco
26-out-15 08H00/12H00 Alameda Pêro da Covilhã – Covilhã
28-out-15 08H00/12H00 Estrada Nacional 233 – Buenos Aires – Castelo Branco

Coimbra
27-out-15 17H00 Av. Inês de Castro – Coimbra
29-out-15 14H00 R. U. Centro Escolar S. Julião – Figueira da Foz

Évora
26-out-15 17H00 Estrada Nacional 18 (Redondo/Évora)

Guarda
26-out-15 07H30 Estrada do Rio Diz

Leiria
27-out-15 21H00/00H00 Av. General Amílcar Mota – Caldas da Rainha

Lisboa
26-out-15 08H00/12H00 Reta do Cabo Vila Franca de Xira
26-out-15 14H00/18H00 Reta do Cabo Vila Franca de Xira
27-out-15 07H30 Av. Padre Cruz
28-out-15 13H00/18H00 Estrada dos Salgados

Madeira
27-out-15 13H45 VR1 desde a Rotunda do Caniçal até à Ribeira Brava
28-out-15 08H00 Estrada da Ponta da Oliveira – Caniço
29-out-15 18H00 VE 1 Pico do Tanoeiro/VE 1 – túnel do Cortado
29-out-15 18H45 Rua Pestana Júnior; Rua 5 de Outubro e Av. das Madalenas
30-out-15 08H00 VR 1 – Machico

Porto
28-out-15 08H00/12H00 Av. Dr. Antunes Guimarães – Leça Palmeira

Portalegre
26-out-15 08H00 Av. De Badajoz – Portalegre

Santarém
28-out-15 09H00/12H00 Estrada Nacional 3 Calçadinha – Santarém
30-out-15 08H00/12H00 Estrada Nacional 349, Km 72,3 – Terras Pretas – Torres Novas

Vila Real
27-out-15 07H30/09H30 Rua da Paz – Chaves

Viseu
27-out-15 08H00 Estrada Nacional nº 2 – Viseu
28-out-15 15H00 Av. Egas Moniz – Lamego

The PSP Lisbon Airport Security Division revealed last Friday 23^rd October, that about 20% of complaints of thefts taking place at Lisbon Airport resulted in the identification of the suspect, and 10% of these occurrences result in recovery of stolen material.

The commander at the airport informed journalists that between last year and the present, one in five complaints for theft we receive, led to identification of the suspect. In 10% we managed to recover the items stolen from Lisbon Airport.

A new police office built in a space provided by ANA-Aeroportos de Portugal, will improve conditions, provide more space and help the police in carrying out their roles.

The Airport Safety Division (DSA) of the Lisbon Metropolitan Command of the Public Security Police (PSP) receive, on average, per month, 50 criminal complaints and around 150-200 reports of lost/found property.

The Food Safety and Economic Authority (ASAE) said on 23rd October in a statement that they seized last week 6,600 wooden panels for use in the construction industry for non-compliance with legal requirements.

According to ASAE, the panels were from Burma and were seized as they “do not meet the legal requirements, in particular in terms of a lack of declaration concerning specifications and labelling. Their markings do not comply with EU legislation”.

“This intervention by ASAE is part of their remit to carryout enforcement against suppliers selling market products that do not meet the legal requirements, thus ensuring the protection of consumer rights, healthy and fair competition as well as the protection of the internal market,

The ASAE adds that the value of the seizure “amounted to 58,000 euros.” An arrest was made under a tax deed operation aimed at the verification of mandatory requirements for construction products.