The Portuguese police arrested five people and searched facilities of the Ministry of Defense during an operation that investigates possible crimes of corruption, abuse of power and money laundering and irregular adjudications.
The operation concluded with the declaration of 19 suspects, more than fifty search warrants and searches in different agencies in Lisbon, Porto and Alentejo.
The operation, explained the Judicial Police in a statement, sought to find “complementary evidence related to suspicions of criminal practices in the exercise of public functions.”
High ranks
The CNN Portugal channel reported that among the 5 detainees there are senior State officials, including a former Director General of National Defense Resources.
The Judicial Police explained that it is “a criminal investigation” to investigate alleged crimes of corruption, embezzlement, abuse of power and money laundering, related to awards made, by the Central Administration Agency, to various companies, including years 2018 and 2021.
In this operation, called “Perfect Storm”, nearly 200 agents have participated.
