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The Minister of Internal Affairs of Portugal, Miguel Macedo, and the Interior Minister of Spain, Jorge Fernández Díaz, announced the launch joint patrols by the security forces of the two countries over Easter. This measure aims to ensure a police service  in their own language for  Spanish and Portuguese nationals travelling across the border during the Holy Week vacation.

The joint patrols fall within the “European Squadrons” project that was jointly presented for the first time in Lisbon on March 25, 2013, referred the Ministries responsible for internal security of the two countries.

This is the second year the project has been conducted and takes into account the movements of Portuguese and Spanish tourist in certain areas in both countries including Torremolinos and Benalmadena in Spain from 5th – 14th April and Lisbon and Braga in Portugal from 16th – 21st April.

During XXVI Luso-Spanish Summit, held in Madrid on 13th May 2013, the two ministers decided to reissue this initiative and agreed on conducting joint patrols during holiday Holy Week 2014.

On 15th April at 1800 hrs the PSP Police Division Loures (under the overall command of the PSP Lisbon Metropolitan District, arrested a 37 year old, for trafficking in narcotics.

The PSP based on information that had been collected, located the suspect thought to be carrying “cocaine” inside his body and who was preparing to leave by air to another European country.

After his interception in Loures area, the suspect was transported to a hospital unit where an examination established that he was carrying 17 suspect packages inside his body which were “expelled”. This corresponded to about 2,000 individual doses of cocaine.

The detainee, who has criminal records for the same type of crime, was presented at the Judicial Court of Loures, to 1. º Judicial Interrogation and implementation to be remanded in custody.

It was reported on 16th April 2014 that the Judicial Police, through the National Anti-Corruption Unit (UNCC) conducted an operation in the northern and central parts of the country, which led to the dismantling of a large international fraud.

The fraud, which originated in Italy, extended to France, Spain and Portugal. This involved the false promise of financing which reached a total value of EUR 3.8 billion resulting in the victims (dozens of businessmen) linked to construction, hotels and restaurants, losing around 2 millions euros in advanced payments.

Resulting from the complex investigation, a 55 years old Portuguese national was arrested and was remanded in custody. At the end of March, following an European Arrest Warrant issued by the Portuguese authorities, an Italian businessman, 69 years old, resident in Italy, who coordinated all the fraudulent activity from his office in Parma was also arrested.

This business is already known by the Italian authorities for the practice of various economic and financial crimes.

The Judicial Police, in fulfillment of a European arrest warrant, tracked and detained in  Estremoz, a foreigner aged 25 years old, to be extradition to Belgium, in connection with committing a number of robberies.

The arrested person appeared on 16th April 2014 before the Honorable Judge of Criminal Procedure of the Évora Court of Appeal, who ruled that the court await the further terms of the extradition pending which the person be placed under remand in custody.

It was reported on 16th April 2014 that Lagos PSP Sub-Division, arrested three  foreign nationals, aged 21 , 20 and 18 years of age, for trafficking in narcotics.

These arrests came as a result of efforts by the Police in Lagos to eradicate drug trafficking in the city. During a 2 month investigation it was possible to identify the suspects as regular suppliers of narcotic product to consumers that city.

The suspects were intercepted after the execution of a search warrant issued by the Judicial Authority.

As a result, 125 doses of heroin, 75 doses of cocaine  about € 1030 in cash, 1 car, 1 computer 13 mobile phones, 2 cameras, 2 precision scales and various materials for cutting narcotic product were seized.

The appeared before the  Judicial Authority during the day.

From midnight last night to midnight on 20th April 2014 the GNR will be conducting an operation to promote and enforce safe driving over the Easter holidays. This will take place throughout the country including the Algarve.

The operation will focus on non-compliance with traffic rules plus, use of seat belts, use of mobile phones and drink driving. Road checks will be increased so please pass on so your friends are aware of this.

Drive safely this Easter and reduce accidents over the holiday period.

On the afternoon of 15th April 2014, GNR Loulé arrested a citizen aged 27 years for the crime of drug trafficking .

Following an action to combat drug trafficking in the town of Almancil, the GNR located the individual in question, inside a vehicle.

After assessing the situation, the GNR intercepted the suspect in the act of selling the narcotic product inside the vehicle. The GNR were also able to identify the consumers involved.

In intercepting the suspect, 70 individual doses heroin, plus a precision scale, two phones and € 165 euros in cash were seized.

In a follow up operation at the arrested person’s house a further 720 individual doses of heroin and 5 individual doses cocaine and related packing for the  distribution of narcotic products were seized.

The detainee is to appear at the Judicial District Court of Loulé for application to be remanded in custody.

It was reported on 12th April 2014 that around a number of burglaries have taken place in the last few weeks in the area of Ferrerias near Albufeira.

In the latest of these a property was broken into a short while after the owner had left the property and stole gold watches, some cash, a computer monitor and a camera. The owner in an interview with local media stated that he felt that the property was being watched beforehand so the culprit knew when the house was unoccupied.

The GNR are investigating around 5 other similar cases in the area with an apparent similar modus operandi.

The Judicial Police (DIC Portimao) reported that they have arrested a man for the commission of a murder which took place on 25th March 2014, in Lagoa.

The murder took place following a dispute with the victim financial issues related to running a business . The alleged perpetrator strangled the victim aged 65 years, thus causing her death.

After the crime , the defendant left the scene and reported to a third party that the victim had died as a result of heart disease.

The detainee aged 54 years appeared at the judicial authorities for him to report daily to the local police station pending trial.

On 8th April in the early hours of the morning the Criminal Investigation Detachment of GNR conducted an operation involving the execution of a search warrant at a residence located in Quarteira.

The operation, which was a culmination of a 3 month investigation, resulted in the arrest of a Portuguese citizen aged 43 years, suspected to be responsible for some 15 burglaries.
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The arrested person is considered responsible for burglaries that had occurred in residences mostly in Almancil, Quarteira and Vilamoura, stealing easily saleable items such as televisions, home appliances and also articles on non-precious metal such as taps and copper objects.

The detainee, who also has a criminal record for theft, was presented on 9th April at the Judicial District Court of Loulé. He was on probation from the Regional prison in Olhão.