The 62-year-old car salesman was detained on suspicion of skilled fraud following an arrest warrant and home and non-domestic searches by the Judicial Police (PJ) in Vila do Conde.
At stake are single-owned car dealerships that sold electric vehicles equipped with rented batteries. The vehicles were sold without informing the new owners that said batteries were not part of the vehicles.
The buyers had to pay between 6,000 and 8,000 euros. The events took place between 2021 and the present, and the total number of victims is still unknown.
As part of the search, eight vehicles were seized, as well as contractual and financial documentation, as well as computer files relevant to proving the facts under investigation and the possible identification of other victims.
The defendant will be present in court for the application of coercive measures.