The Tax Action Unit (UAF), through the Faro Tax Action Detachment, on April 22nd, carried out an operation to combat illicit gambling and tax fraud, carrying out several searches in commercial establishments and residences, in the districts of Faro, BejaLisbon and Setúbal.
According to information provided by the Republic’s National Guard, within the scope of an investigation that began at the end of 2021, targeting the criminal offenses of exploiting games of chance, fraud and abuse of fiscal trust, the Guard’s military personnel carried out carried out an operation that made it possible to identify the locations used as illicit gaming establishments, as well as those that were used for storing and distributing the respective gaming machines.
Following the action, two home search warrants and twenty-three non-domestic search warrants were executed, including thirteen commercial establishments and warehouses, in vehicles and in companies, places that were used for the illicit practice of gambling, for storage and distribution of gaming machines.
During the operation, the following materials were seized:
- 132 illicit gaming machines;
- 363 gaming-related machines;
- 1,109 posters associated with gaming-related machines;
- 874.50 euros in cash.
The action also resulted in the constitution of three defendants, two men and one woman, aged between 52 and 64, and two legal entities, one operating restaurants and the other distributing recreational products.
The facts were communicated to the Judicial Court of Olhão.
The operation was reinforced by soldiers from the Research Detachment and Fiscal Action Detachments of Lisbon and Évora, from the GNR, as well as support from the Tax and Customs Authority (AT).
Tags: GNR seizes gaming machines locations including Beja district
