Following recent press attention surrounding Vale do Lobo’s connection to Operation Marquês – the corruption probe centring on former prime minister José Sócrates – Algarve resort Vale do Lobo has once again been the focus of police swoops.
Earlier this week, PSP police led tandem searches of security company offices in Vale do Lobo and Quinta do Lago, confiscating guns, bullets and allegedly illegal surveillance cameras, reports national tabloid Correio da Manhã.
As many as 18 guns are believed to have been seized, as well as “more than 200 munitions and four cameras” sited in vehicles used by security guards.
CM adds that the PSP’s department of private security also identified on-street CCTV cameras of the kind that are only authorised for use by the authorities.
The police searches went ahead on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is not known whether they are set to continue.
For now, CM reports that no-one has been detained and there are no charges in the offing, although the investigation is to continue “and could lead to eventual criminal charges” being made against the security companies of the two resorts.
A source from Vigiquinta, the company responsible for security at Quinta do Lago, has told the paper that the guns seized from their offices “were locked in safes and were not being used”.
CM adds that it tried to contact Vale do Lobo’s security, but had not been successful.
