At the São João Novo Court, the first officer called to testify, who focused on the couple’s bedroom during the January 2024 searches, detailed every step of the operation, from preparation to execution.
“The entry into the residence was executed by a tactical team from Lisbon. We gained access by forcing the door, which resulted in damage. As I understood, [Fernando and Sandra Madureira] were still in bed,” he began explaining.
Following the described procedure, he revealed, substantial amounts of cash were discovered and seized throughout the house, in addition to three vehicles.
“In a piece of furniture, there were 620 euros, and in a paper bag beneath the bed, there were 31,550,” he detailed.
The officer responsible for other parts of the home, including the daughters’ bedrooms—who also witnessed the searches—found “an amount, on a small sofa, of three or four thousand euros,” as well as smaller sums scattered in various locations.
This officer also disclosed that, as a result of the investigations, the former leaders of the Super Dragões club reportedly filed a theft complaint, which was later dismissed, while the officers filed a counter-complaint for false accusation.
Additional testimonies were given by the PSP officers who conducted searches at the homes of Vítor ‘Catão’ and Hugo Carneiro ‘Polaco,’ which were described as proceeding normally without any incidents.
In the case of the first individual, only “a mobile phone and charger” were seized, while in the latter, the officer highlighted garments believed to be worn by the defendant on the night of the General Assembly (AG) and “a thousand euros in 20 euro notes.”
Before the start of the seventh session of the trial, Sandra Madureira requested exemption from periodic check-ins with authorities between May 6 and 11, and from attending the courtroom on May 8 and 9, to participate in a pilgrimage to Fátima. The request was granted by the presiding judge.
The trial continues this afternoon and will resume on Tuesday, which was initially scheduled to conclude the prosecution’s witness testimonies as delays have now exceeded 30.
The 12 defendants of Operation Pretoriano, including the former Super Dragões leader Fernando Madureira, began facing 31 charges on March 17 at the São João Novo Court in Porto amid heavy police presence.
The charges include 19 counts of aggravated coercion and threats, seven counts of bodily harm related to a sporting event, one count of public incitement to crime, one count of throwing objects or liquids, and three counts of infringing freedom of information, concerning an FC Porto AG in November 2023.
Among the accused, Fernando Madureira is the only one remanded in custody under the strictest measure, while the others have been released at various stages.
