The operation conducted on Wednesday involved the inspection of “various accommodation sites used for economic purposes, illegal lodging, commercial establishments, and areas suspected of functioning as clandestine dormitories,” the PSP revealed in a statement.
The operation also led to the seizure of a bladed weapon and several falsified documents.
The PSP reported that a formal report was issued for aiding illegal immigration, resulting in a defendant being charged, who was then subjected to the measure of term of identity and residence. A notice for voluntary departure from the national territory was also issued.
In collaboration with the Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica (ASAE) and the Lisbon Municipal Police, a false passport and a fake power of attorney were seized during the operation, along with various documents bearing the identification details of foreign citizens and criminal record certificates for foreign citizens.
The PSP highlighted that “special attention was given to the illegal exploitation of accommodation and to the safety, health, and dignity conditions of residents, focusing on safeguarding citizens’ rights and mitigating extremely precarious and unsanitary living conditions.”
Several infractions were detected, resulting in the issuance of the corresponding infraction reports.
These included, for instance, 20 reports for failing to update addresses on residence permits and two for failing to communicate the lodging of foreign citizens for remuneration to the competent authorities.
There was also one report for each of the following infractions: outdated registration on the National Register of Local Accommodation Establishments; illegal local lodging in an annex, with a closure notice after verification of three individuals sleeping on the premises; operation of a travel agency without legal authorization, resulting in the closure of the space where 13 people were found sleeping inside; renting space without a usage license; renting property without condominium authorization or altering the use of the space; alteration of the purpose of the fraction; and violation of fire safety regulations and the failure of the surveillance system to retain recorded images for 30 days.
A further infraction report was issued for non-compliance with requirements regarding pre-packaged food items, with expiration dates passed in 2022/2023, and food worth 134 euros was seized and destroyed on site.
In addition to two illegal accommodations being notified for closure, the PSP suspended two rooms for exceeding the capacity of 10 occupants.
This joint action “aimed to ensure the safety, legality, and living dignity of all citizens and to combat illegal housing exploitation and urban living condition degradation,” the police concluded in the statement.
