A man whose badly burnt body was found inside a car near Santa Bárbara de Nexe has still to be formally identified.
An autopsy carried out at the Faro Institute of Forensic Medicine has not been conclusive, simply revealing that it was a male.
DNA analysis is now being carried out to confirm the identity of the victim.
According to Portuguese newspapers, the Renault Laguna with Portuguese number plates was registered in the name of British man Raymond Patrick Grant.
The man of the same name had reportedly been sentenced in 1999 by the British High Court to 15 months in prison, having been found guilty of illegal gambling and fundraising.
His crime was based on an international lottery, allegedly run by a humanitarian organisation called Business Incentives Games (BIG), which promised big rewards in the game, shares and capital.
However, he escaped from UK and reports said he was being sought by British authorities.
A spokesman from SFO in the UK told the Algarve Resident: “I can confirm that Mr Grant is no longer the subject of an SFO investigation and the case has been discontinued. The SFO has not been contacted by any authority in relation to the reported death in Portugal of a possible British national.
“The SFO has no knowledge of a reported burnt out car or of the identity of a body reportedly found in the car. We are unable to comment further,” he added.
The British Embassy told the Algarve Resident this week that it had not been contacted about this case.
PJ police have not managed to locate Raymond Patrick Grant but investigations continue. P.S.
