The Polícia Judiciária (PJ) has dismantled a transnational network involved in money laundering and tax fraud in the northern region of the country.
The police operation, conducted in recent days, led to the arrest of four individuals and the formal charging of 19 suspects, both individuals and corporate entities. These individuals are implicated in crimes related to criminal association, money laundering, tax fraud, and document forgery.
Investigators indicated that the organization, characterized as “transnational,” was run by foreign citizens. The suspects used the national banking system to facilitate the laundering process, which relied on creating successive businesses—owned and managed through false identities—and bank accounts held by these entities. The financial benefits, primarily stemming from the modus operandi known as Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML), flowed through these accounts.
Illicit funds were continuously deposited into bank accounts specifically created for this purpose and later transferred to corresponding accounts located in other countries.
A total of 25 residential and non-residential searches were conducted in Vila do Conde, Póvoa de Varzim, Vila Nova de Gaia, and Esposende.
The seizures included four luxury vehicles, 1.5 million euros in cash, 25 bank accounts, various documents related to the crimes, computer equipment, as well as banking and telecommunications cards.
The arrested individuals have already appeared for an initial judicial hearing. As a result, three have been placed in preventive detention, while one is subject to restrictions, including a ban on contact and regular reporting to the nearest police station.
The investigation is being led by the DIAP Regional of Porto.
