The Foreigners and Borders Service’s (SEF) part in ‘Operation Safe Summer’ involved questioning 700 non-Portuguese, mostly in tourist areas of the Algarve.
Officers found that 48 were in the country quite illegally.
The SEF reported today that their community based activities took place between July 1 and September 15, 2104.
Of the 48 nationals that should not have been in the country, 25 were told to leave under their own steam, and nine were arrested and are subject to removal procedures.
The others were gently asked to regularise their situations as they qualify for residence in the country, but had not gone through the simple, uncomplicated and easy to understand process.
The SEF found 18 cases where businesses were employing foreigners on an unregulated, unreported cash-in-hand basis.
Some of the foreign businesses owners were also done for irregularities and face fines of between €32,000 and €180,000 which should ensure bankruptcy for a high percentage.
In addition to strengthening controls during the summer season, the SEF set up 58 surveillance operations which resulted in 130 busts in areas of where there was the greatest concentration of foreign nationals.
Some of these cases needed the collaboration variously of the Public Security Police, the Marine Police, the Authority for Working Conditions and the Social Security department.
Much of this activity was targeted at cash jobs and the exploitation of labour mostly found in seasonal trades associated with tourism.
Some of the joint actions carried out with the Marine Police aimed at controlling pleasure boats anchored between Faro and Olhão in the Ria Formosa, on Portimao’s Arade river, as well as up and down the Guadiana.
With the heavyweight Public Security Police, the sexual exploitation of foreign women and international people trafficking was targeted and several nightlife establishments were raided.
