The GNR have announced “Operation Safe New Year” which will run from midnight 30th December to midnight 4th January 2015.

The operation is aimed at public safety for road users though intensive patrolling and through road side checks along routes leading to and from places of public entertainment. A total of 6572 officers from the Nation Traffic unit will be involved in the operation.

The focus will mainly be on non compliance with traffic rules; speeding, driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or psychotropic substances; the wearing of seat belts and use of child restraints as well as the use of mobile phones.

In operation New Year 2013/2014, in two days of inspection, December 31 and January 1, 2014, the GNR detected 433 drivers with blood alcohol in the blood exceeding the permitted by law, plus 126 who were of a rate equal to or greater than 1.20 g / l alcohol in the blood. In addition to alcohol-related offences, 529 drivers were caught speeding and  54 violations related to the non-use of safety belts and restraint systems for children. Driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding and failure to use seat belts on all seats of the car are three of the main causes of victims on Portuguese roads, so the GNR calls for the limits are met by law so that everyone can have a “safe New Year.” All information relating to road traffic will be available 24 hours a day, through the duty officer of the Command Center and Operational Control (CCCO / GNR) – 213 217 000.

On 29^th December it was reported that the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) at Madeira International Airport had intercepted and arrested a 40 year old British national.

The citizen was wanted in connection with three counts by the Judicial Court of Funchal, of tax embezzlement crimes punishable under Article 105, paragraph 1 of RGIT, involving the issue of bounced checks

The PSP has noted a decrease in accidents, deaths and injuries in their area of responsibility, against the rising trend in 2013.

During a PSP road safety operation conducted from 21 and 28 December, the PSP recorded  1005 accidents, two deaths and 288 injured compared with 1230 accidents, three deaths and 363 injured during the same period in 2013. The fatalities took place on 21st December 21 in Sao Miguel – Azores and on 22 December in Funchal, Madeira.

In the critical period from 23rd to 26th December, the PSP did not record any fatalities on the roads of their territorial responsibility.

In this period the PSP conducted more than 780 traffic enforcement operations throughout the country, more than 35,000 vehicles inspected and tested and more than 8,000 drivers for breath test.

A total of 205 arrests were made for driving more with more than 1.2 g / l;  572 fined by having more than 0.5 g / l. Also noteworthy was approximately 370 offenses detected for using a cell phone whilst driving and 15 for not using a child restraint seat for a child being carried in the vehicle.

From 23rd to -28th December the GNR conducted an operation intensifying road patrols, in order to prevent road accidents, ensure the free flow of traffic and support all road users in order to provide them with a safety on the move. 

During the operation and compared with the same period of 2013, there were 935 accidents (less 558), 14 dead (three more), 18 seriously injured (less three) and 259 minor injuries (less 202). Note that the number of fatalities reflects provisional data, not including those who died within 30 days of the accident. 

The 7870 GNR officers who conducted the operation focused on matters that influence road accidents and their consequences. They detected 194 crimes (136 per driving with alcohol rate in blood (BAC) equal to / greater than 1.20 grams per liter, 51 for lack of legal authorization to drive and seven other crimes).

Another 8276 traffic offences were also detected icluding: 317 for driving with BAC above that allowed by law out of 22 665 tests conducted; 4576 for speeding out of 274 079 speed checks; 358 for lack of mandatory periodic inspection; 343 relating to safety belts and restraint systems for children; 289 for use of mobile phone whilst driving and 152 for lack of insurance. 

The GNR will hold “Safe New Year” operation, between December 31 and January 4, by intensifying road  patrols and inspections in order to ensure security on all routes to and from the places of celebration of the New Year.

On 24th and 25th December the GNR, in addition to their daily operational activities, carried out a series of operations aimed at preventing and combating violent crime, through roadside inspections in the following districts / territorial commands:

Aveiro; Beja; Braga; Bragança;  Coimbra; Evora; Faro;  Leiria; Lisbon;Porto; Portalegre; Santarém; Setúbal; Viana do Castelo; Vila Real and Viseu.

As a result of these operations 51 persons were arrested as follows: 29 for driving under the influence of alcohol; 12 for driving without legal authorization; one for theft;  four for drug trafficking; one for possession of prohibited weapons and three for other crimes. 

Most significant seizures were: 147.78 doses of heroin; 34,36 doses of cocaine; 668.45 doses of hashish; a firearm; one private motor vehicle; 300 Swiss francs and 540 euros.

A total of 6225 drivers were checked and 2171 offenses were detected including: 65 driving with alcohol level higher exceeding the legal limit (in 6438 tests) and 1386 speeding (in 84 502 controls). 

For provisional data of road accidents were registered: 469 accidents; five dead; 11 serious injuries and 114 minor injuries.

On 24th December in the early morning  an armed robbery took place at the Vila Gale Cerro Alagoa Hotel (a 4 star hotel) in Albuferia.

Two men with their faces covered in stockings and armed, threatened a receptionist and fled with Euros 600.

The Judicial Police are investigating. 

It was reported on 23rd December that the PSP had arrested in Olhao three men and a woman aged 27-35 years for drug trafficking.

The arrests following an 8 month investigation and during the operation a total of 25,954 of hashish, an adapted firearm, two alarm pistols, an extendable baton and Euros 8730 in cash, a car and nine mobile phones were seized.

The group of suspects, who were very well organized, was engaged in the direct selling of narcotics throughout the Algarve.

The detainees have appeared before the Criminal Sistrict Court in Lisbon for judicial interrogation and have been placed in remand pending trial.

On 22nd December 2014 in the morning the GNR Almancil arrested a  33-year-old man for committing theft within a residence (burglary).

During an anti-crime operation in the area of Town For Sale – Loulé, the GNR saw a  person behaving in a suspicious manner, moving a tricycle in the street. The GNR approached the person concerned and discovered in a backpack that he was carrying, a cap, gloves and a screwdriver. A search of his residence subsequently took place were the GNR discovered and seized many objects that are suspected stolen, as well as two mobile phones, watches, jewelry, various tools and a camera. 

According to Agence France-Presse, Hong Kong’s former deputy leader Rafael Hui and property tycoon Thomas Kwok have been jailed after being convicted of corruption.

Hui, 66, was sent to prison on Tuesday (23rd December)  for seven and a half years after being found guilty of five graft charges, including misconduct in a public office, making him the highest-ranking official in Hong Kong’s history to be convicted of taking bribes.

Kwok, 63 – who was joint chairman of Hong Kong’s biggest property company, Sun Hung Kai – was sentenced to five years after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office over a series of payments totalling HK$8.5m to Hui.

The seven-month trial centred on a total of HK$34m in handouts which the prosecution said were made to Hui by Kwok and his billionaire brother, Raymond, to be their “eyes and ears” in government.

Raymond Kwok was cleared of all charges and Thomas cleared of two of the three against him.

Judge Andrew Macrae told Hui before sentencing: “To know that the former number two in government had received bribes must be a deep disappointment to many people in Hong Kong,” he said. “It is vitally important in these times the Hong Kong government and business community remain and are seen to remain corruption free, particularly when the mainland is taking obvious and positive steps to eradicate the cancer of corruption in their own jurisdiction.”

In sentencing Kwok, he said he had no doubt that he was “at heart a good man”. Macrae said he had considered a maximum sentence of six years but handed down one year less to account for Kwok’s good character.

Before the sentencing hearing, Macrae had described the case as difficult. “One is dealing with otherwise decent men who are not young, but who have committed serious offences,” he said, adding that going to prison would be a “particular hardship” for the defendants.

The payments to Hui were said to have been made via a series of complicated transactions involving middlemen.

Two middlemen, Sun Hung Kai former director Thomas Chan and Francis Kwan – the former non-executive director of investment firm New Environmental Energy Holdings – were also found guilty of two charges. Chan was sentenced to six years while Kwan was given five years.

On 19th December the  Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) apprehended in Faro, a foreign citizen aged 40 years who had been on the run having escaped from prison in 2007, where he was serving a prison sentence for drug trafficking.

The prisoner was delivered to the Olhão Regional Prison after the authorities had determined his true identity. At the time of being apprehended he provide false identification.