Approximately 30 individuals, hailing from the Indian subcontinent, were discovered living in an illegal housing setup within a defunct restaurant in the Arroios district of Lisbon. The facility, lacking basic living conditions, was vacated on Wednesday, as efforts to relocate the individuals are underway by the Lisbon City Council and the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, as announced by the local Parish Council.
The illegal accommodation was dismantled following complaints from neighbors, which prompted an investigation revealing that people were living in “extremely inhumane conditions” with the presence of cockroaches and rats, according to Madalena Natividade, the president of the Arroios Parish Council, elected independently under a coalition of PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança.
Neighbors reported issues “last week,” citing “nauseating odors and strange activities” in and out of the restaurant.
Armed with this information, Madalena Natividade requested the licensing authorities to assess the situation, leading to the involvement of the Lisbon Municipal Police, which confirmed signs of illegal activity.
“They spoke little English” and “paid between 180 to 200 euros per month”
On Wednesday morning, authorities intervened, and the residents were identified. The legal status of these individuals in Portugal remains unknown.
According to Madalena Natividade, the individuals “spoke little English,” which posed “some difficulty” in gathering information, but it was noted that they “paid between 180 to 200 euros per month” to stay in the defunct restaurant.
Regarding the relocation process, the Parish Council President confirmed that “appropriate oversight of the situation” is being managed by the Lisbon City Council and Santa Casa da Misericórdia, with police involvement, although details were not provided.
Apart from this situation, another instance of illegal housing has been detected in a dentist’s office in Arroios.
