The Judiciary Police (PJ) carried out a police operation in the Azores and Lisbon this Tuesday, as part of an investigation into “suspicions of the favoritism of an airline by a public entity” and named five defendants.
In a statement, the PJ said that the “Last Call” operation was developed through the National Anti-Corruption Unit and, within its scope, searches on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira and Faial and in Lisbon.
“As part of the investigations carried out, important evidence of the facts under investigation was collected, and constituted five defendants”he added.
The police operation allowed the execution of 14 search and seizure warrants at homes, public bodies, private law associations and law firms, “as part of the investigation investigating the commission of crimes of fraud in obtaining a subsidy or subsidy, malfeasance, economic participation in business and abuse of powers”.
According to the PJ, in question “there are suspicions of favoritism of the airline by a public entity, notably through illegal financing in the improper award of contracts financed by the Azores 2030 Operational Program”.
The National Anti-Corruption Unit states that it will continue the investigation, “analyzing the evidence collected, with a view to determining the full determination of criminal responsibilities and ensuring the rapid conclusion of the investigation”.
Antena1/Açores said that the PJ carried out searches at the Regional Directorate of Planning and Structural Funds, based in Angra do Heroísmo (Terceira Island), and at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada.
The regional director of Planning and Structural Funds, Nuno Melo Alves, confirmed to Antena 1/Açores that the searches were carried out.
The Lusa agency tried to obtain information from the Regional Government of the Azores, but it has not been possible so far.
65 members of the PJ participated in the operation, in addition to two criminal investigation judges, five magistrates from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, two members of the Bar Association and three members of the Technical Advisory Center of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation is carried out at the Lisbon Regional Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP).
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