The Territorial Command Beja (CTBeja) of the GNR announced today the arrest, in Mértola, through military personnel from the Territorial Post of that village, of an individual from 46 year old, situation that occurred last Tuesday, day 5 of December, on suspicion of forgery of documents.
Yesterday, South Board of Judicial Police (PJ) issued a statement announcing the arrest of the same individual in Mértola, in an operation that had “the collaboration of the GNR of Mértola”.
According to the CTBeja statement, the arrest occurred “as part of a road inspection, in which the individual demonstrated suspicious behavior and showed great nervousness, investigating the soldiers who had several false documents in their possession that culminated in their arrest”, justify.
After searching the man and the vehicle, that would be seized, were also confiscated, “fourteen credit cards, 2.800 euro cash, a passport, a driving license, two identity cards and two cell phones”, refers to the CTBeja document.
The action was reinforced by the Criminal Investigation Nucleus (NIC) Territorial Detachment of Almodovar, the suspect was made a defendant and the facts were sent to the Judicial Court of Beja.
Judiciary Police version
In the statement issued yesterday, the PJ stated that “as part of an ongoing investigation and titled by the DIAP of Faro, with the collaboration of GNR de Mértola, identified and detained him out of flagrante delicto, a man of 45 year old, on suspicion of committing several crimes of aggravated document forgery, qualified fraud and money laundering”, justified the Judicial Police.
Along with the PJ, the Lidador News (LN) found that the individual is being present for the first judicial interrogation at the Court of Faro for the application of coercive measures.
Statement from the Judicial Police of 6 December 2023
Detention of an individual on suspicion of committing crimes of qualified fraud, forgery and money laundering.
The Judicial Police, through South Board, within the scope of an ongoing investigation titled by DIAP of Faro, with the collaboration of GNR de Mértola, identified and detained a man out of flagrante delicto, about 45 years, on suspicion of committing several crimes of aggravated document forgery, qualified fraud and money laundering.
The detainee's criminal activity consisted of establishing companies, who had no activity, using several false identities, in whose name he opened dozens of bank accounts in credit institutions based in the national territory.
Once opened, accounts were credited with transfers of large amounts, obtained illegally, namely using schemes commonly known as “man-in-the-middle” or “CEO-Fraud” (Business Email Compromise).
After concealing the illicit origin of the funds received, the amounts were transferred to other accounts, the suspect receiving a percentage of the transactions carried out.
During the investigations carried out, significant pieces of evidence were seized, continuing the investigation with a view to delimiting the extent of this criminal activity.
The detainee will be present for the first judicial interrogation to apply coercive measures.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
