A criminal investigation judge has ordered the preventive detention of one of the suspects arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of a house scam in the Grand Port. The second defendant was placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring. He was temporarily sent to a prison under the Porto Judicial Police until reports were prepared to prove that he could be detained at home. In the case of one accused, a fellow suspect in pre-trial detention, the judge made daily representations to the authorities. Another five suspects are presented every three weeks, and four are presented only with identification and length of residence.
A total of 12 people were arrested during the operation: nine women and three men. This is a scam in which the suspects reportedly received around 250,000 euros. They used photographs of local housing to create false advertisements. They then advertised the houses as if they owned them and were available for medium to long term rentals. PSP has already identified 140 cases of fraud. Most of the victims are from Africa or South America.
On Friday evening, investigating judge Pedro Miguel Vieira decided to release nine of the 12 suspects detained by the PSP for housing fraud. The judge’s decision came after prosecutors, using coercive measures, requested preventive detention for only three of the suspects who remained in custody. There were two men and a woman.
Author: Ana Isabel Fonseca
Source: CM Jornal
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