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In 2017, 14.8 tonnes of hashish were seized in Portugal. The International Narcotics Control Board warns that ill-regulated cannabis programs for therapeutic use can lead to increased consumption

Portugal was the fourth European country with the highest amount of hashish seized in 2017, according to an international report released on Tuesday 4^th March 2019 warning of the dangers of poor cannabis regulation for medicinal purposes.

The cannabis remains as the “most widely used” drug in Europe, accounting for 38% of the illicit drug market in the European Union (EU), the report of the International Council of Narcotics Control. Data from 2016 indicate that more than 760,000 cannabis seizures were carried out in the EU, 420,000 of cannabis in grass, 22,000 seizures of plants and more than 300,000 of cannabisresin (hashish).

Portugal appears as the fourth country in Europe that in 2017 seized more hashish, with 14.8 tons. Spain, as the main entry point for cannabis resin produced in Morocco, is the country with the most seized product, with 333 tonnes, followed by France with 57 tonnes and Italy with 18.7 tonnes.

After the fourth place in Portugal, Greece appears with 6.3 tons and the United Kingdom 6.3 tons. All other countries reported less than three tonnes of hash seized in 2017, including Sweden, Norway, Poland or Russia.

In the report released on Tuesday, the International Narcotics Control Board warns that ill-regulated cannabis programs for therapeutic use may lead to increased use of recreational cannabis. The United Nations agency also expresses its concern about the creation of legislation on non-medicinal use of cannabis that is contrary to drug control conventions and may endanger public health.

The 15^th October 2017 fires were  completely  exceptional. The country was experiencing a prolonged drought, a period when  the operational structure was already partially demobilised, a very unusual meteorological phenomenon –  the Hurricane Ophelia – that was  felt  throughout  the country, but especially in  the central  region, very strong and dry winds  that boosted the hundreds of ignitions that occurred on that day, producing several fires that together destroyed more than 220 thousand hectares in less than 24 hours, which is a record for Portugal. This resulted in seven major fires five of them together caused 51 fatalities and all produced an environmental and property devastation.

Some of the findings and highlights of the report are:

The strict definition of fire risk periods, based on calendar dates, without taking into account the seasonal changes  in  the  weather  and  a  concern  with  the  containment  of  expenditure,  led  to  a  reduction  of  the operational structure, without paying due attention to the extreme fire risk that was forecasted a few days in advance. This lack of resources was felt especially in the absence of more vigilance, which could have reduced the number of ignitions, at least on the 15th, which led to the registration of 517 occurrences.

The task of defending people and property was limited by the difficulty of managing resources and placing them where they were required, because of the infeasibility of many paths.

The fact that in these fires we had relatively less people dying on the run, or away from home, certainly due to the perception, by the population of the message that our team has been spreading ‐ reinforced by PG experience ‐ that one should not leave the house at the last minute and with the fire nearby. In these cases, with respect to the authorities’ indications, it is preferable to remain at home and seek to defend it as long as it is safe. It is also important to identify in advance, in each village or town, safe places or homes that can serve as a refuge or shelter for residents or visitors during a fire event.

The practice, which has been implemented by the authorities, of ordering massive evacuations of threatened villages and  places, while  it may  be justifiable  in a  life‐saving  perspective, may  be wrong  if  it  is  not well planned  and  not  executed  well  in  advance.  On the other  hand,  the  option  to  allow  properly  identified members of the population to remain in the places where they live, in an organized and supported way, can greatly  contribute  to  the  safeguarding  of  assets  and  consequently  to  reduce  the  pressure  on  operating entities.

We cannot fail to reaffirm our position regarding the failure of the ICNF as a fundamental pillar of the whole DFCI  system,  in  the  protection  of  the  national  forest,  in  the  promotion  of  awareness  campaigns,  in  the management  of  fuel  discontinuities  and  in  the  protection  of  forestry  areas  that  are  in  its  charge.  The destruction of an important part of the historical Leiria pine forest, which was under the management of the ICNF, constituted the corollary of the abandonment to which its management had been voted over the last decades.

There was again a need for the country to have a wider range of professional and qualified firefighters to ensure a more permanent availability, independent of the calendar dates, to support the population in crises situations such as the fires of October 15th.

The GNR commenced on 1^st March an operation of intensified patrolling and road surveillance throughout the country. This operation, which ends on the 5th of March, is focused along the routes leading to the areas where carnivals are taking place, aimed at combating road accidents, regulating traffic and ensure support to all road users.

During the operation, the GNR, through the national transit unit and territorial commands, will undertake surveillance to detect the following infractions:
–  driving under the influence of alcohol and psychotropic substances;
– lack of legal license;
–  dangerous driving, especially with regard to overtaking, change of direction etc;
– not using the safety belt and / or retention systems;
– excess of capacity;
– anomalies in lighting and signalling systems;
– use of mobile phone during driving;
– lack of periodic inspection;
– lack of civil liability insurance.

The Judiciary Police, through the Southern Board of Directors, identified and detained a man for alleged drug trafficking.

In the course of an investigation into illicit drug trafficking and in compliance with a search and arrest warrant issued by the competent judicial authority, the suspect was detained in the Lisbon metropolitan area on 28^th February, having been seized 260 grams of hashish .

The present investigation is related to an accident and abandonment of a car occurred on the A22 in December 2018, which carried 84.6 Kgs of narcotics.

The 30-year-old detainee was present at the first judicial interrogation, and the pre-trial detention order was applied.

A couple in their 60s ran a clandestine veterinary clinic and have been detained on suspicion of qualified fraud, usurpation of duties and falsification of documents.

The suspects, a man and a woman, aged 62 and 66, were seen as veterinarians and ran a clandestine clinic at their home in Tavira. According to a statement from the GNR of Faro, the couple falsified vaccination bulletins of animals with a stamp that was not known and unknown in the Veterinary Medical Association in Portugal and Spain.

In the same space, they created and sold dogs of various breeds, from German shepherd, Labrador, Yorkshire terrier and pinscher, always with vaccination bulletins with falsified stamp and signature, adds the GNR SEPNA, that investigated the facts from July of 2018.

On Tuesday, after conducting four searches, one household and three in vehicles, 132 tubes for animal vaccination, 61 syringes and 192 needles were seized, three vials with solution for injections for dogs, medicines for dogs, business cards with the indication of activity and location of visas, two laptops, three mobile phones, various documents related to veterinary activity and a false stamp with veterinarian registrations.

“The area was still monitored, with 48 dogs reared without registration and license of the animals at the parish council, lacking a kennel license (required for a space with more than seven animals) and non-compliance with the requirements of sale of pet animals, and the respective records of mismanagement have been prepared, according to the GNR statement.

In the action were committed 23 soldiers of the Territorial Command of Faro, assisted by a Veterinary Medical of the Service of Food and Veterinary of the Region of the Algarve and a Veterinary Doctor of the Municipality of Tavira.

 

The Judicial Police through the Department of Criminal Investigation of Funchal, arrested a 34-year-old man in Funchal yesterday, strongly suspected of commiting arson.

The events took place on February 22, 2019, at 7:20 pm, in an empty building, located in the centre of Funchal, with the large fire, which endangered neighbouring buildings.. The arrest was carried out by the Judicial Police, with the collaboration of the Public Security Police, allowed the identification of the presumed culprit and the collection of relevant evidence.

After being discharged from hospital, additional steps were taken, culminating in his detention, in compliance with a warrant issued by the DIAP of Funchal.

The detainee shall be present to the competent judicial authorities for possible application of pre-trial conditions considered appropriate.

The Judiciary Police, through the Department of Criminal Investigation of Funchal, have identified and detained a man of 27 years in Funchal, in compliance with a European Arrest Warrant, issued by the United Kingdom authorities, for the crime of aggravated assault in the context of domestic violence.

The detainee will be present to the competent judicial authorities for the further terms of compliance with the International Mandate.

 

On 18^th February the GNR Territorial Command of Aveiro, through the Criminal Investigation Nucleus (NIC) of Anadia, have identified three men, all aged 23, in Vila Nova de Gaia for thefts from vehicles.

The identified individuals are suspected of having carried out about 300 such thefts between April 2018 and February of this year, which occurred at various parking lots of catering establishments along the National Highway EN1.

The investigation culminated in the execution of three search warrants, resulting in the seizure of: 14 mobile phones; five portable computers; four tablets; three vehicle keys; a camara and a watch. The three suspects were constituted defendants and subject to expiration of identity and residence.

This police operation was supported by the Criminal Investigation Nuclei of Ovar, Oliveira de Azeméis, Santa Maria da Feira and with the support of the Public Security Police.

The operation included 43 home searches in the areas of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Freamunde and Custóias, which resulted in 15 arrests including 10 men and five women aged 33-44 years.

On the operation the following were seized: 31,870 individual doses of herion;  about 6,555 individual doses of cocaine; about 416 individual doses of hashish; 123 individual doses of Amphetamines; about  80 individual doses of Liamba, and 8,746 g of “cutting” product; together worth € 100,120. Also seized were 5 motor vehicles; two alarm pistols and objects used in the direct sale of narcotics.

The Operation developed by the Division of Criminal Investigation had the collaboration of the Special Police Unit – Special Operations Group (GOE), Intervention Corps (IC) and Operational Cinotech Group (GOC) – Intervention and Police Surveillance Squad as it was supported by the GNR in its area of ​​jurisdiction.

Many of the 300  vehicles (including luxury vehicles) imported by Papua New Guinea to transport the leaders of the countries that participated in the Asia-Pacific summit last year were not returned.

Papua New Guinea police said on Tuesday 12^th February 2019 that they were trying to locate 284 cars imported and used to transport the leaders of countries attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the country’s capital, Port Moresby, last year.

After the event, the vehicles were not returned to the State Assets Recovery Unit of the government. Among them there are Toyota Land Cruisers, Fords, Mazdas and Mitsubishi Pajeros. However, all 40 luxurious Maseratis and Bentleys, worth more than 86,000 euros each, were subsequently located and recovered.

According to police, nine of the missing cars were stolen. Of the vehicles returned, some had missing parts and others were badly damaged. Police believe six of the nine stolen cars are still in Port Moresby, while three of them are in Mount Hagen.

The importation of the cars to the summit, which took place in November 2018, was one of the most controversial aspects of the event held in Papua New Guinea. At the time, both the media and activists questioned whether that Pacific country – which, according to data from the World Bank’s March last year – is considered the 50th poorest in the world – could host an international event such as the APEC summit.

With the country battling a national outbreak of polio, rising tuberculosis rates, and scarcity of funding for health, education and other services, critics have seen the hundreds of imported luxury cars as symbols of government waste.

Australia, the US and New Zealand sent elements of the Special Forces to ensure the safety of the participants.