Widespread Investigation Targets Government Contracts
The Polícia Judiciária (PJ) launched yet another a large-scale operation in Madeira, executing 25 search warrants across various government agencies and at least one private company. The operation is part of an ongoing judicial investigation into public contracts and commercial relations. The inquiry is being led by the Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP), headquartered in Lisbon.
Dozens of searches were conducted at homes, companies, and public bodies in Funchal and Calheta, with suspects including Albuquerque’s deputy Miguel Silva, PSD Madeira's secretary José Prada, and financial manager Armando Abreu. Businessmen José Humberto Drumond and Miguel Nóbrega are also under suspicion for their close ties to political power.
Focus on Key Government Departments and Agencies
Among the government bodies targeted are four departments of the Regional Government of Madeira, including the Secretariat of Health and Civil Protection, the Secretariat of Finance, the Secretariat of Equipment and Infrastructure, and the Secretariat of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Environment. Public entities such as Águas e Resíduos da Madeira (ARM), the Madeira Port Administration (APRAM), and the Institute of Regional Development (IDR) are also under scrutiny. Two municipal governments - Funchal and Calheta - are among those being investigated.
Miguel Albuquerque’s PSD Making Headlines
CNN Portugal reports that the operation “aims not only at personal benefits and compensation for political decision-makers, handed over by businesspeople, but also at money from the latter that is intended for illicit financing of the PSD, the party that governs Madeira under the command of Miguel Albuquerque.”
Allegations of Financial Misconduct and Corruption
The investigation centers on alleged contractual irregularities that occurred between 2020 and 2024, involving a sum exceeding one million euros. Authorities are looking into four specific crimes: economic participation in business dealings, receiving undue advantages, illegal party financing, and misconduct in public office. These charges reflect concerns about the integrity of financial transactions within Madeira's public sector.
Several Arrests Have Been Made
According to DIÁRIO, those detained by the PJ as part of the 'Ab Initio' operation are the president of the Calheta City Council, Carlos Teles, the former regional secretary of Agriculture, Humberto Vasconcelos, the former regional director of Agriculture, Paulo Santos , businessmen Humberto Drumond and Miguel Nóbrega, and two employees from the Regional Agriculture Secretariat.
The investigation has also cast a spotlight on private businesses, with companies owned by businessman Humberto Drumond reportedly among those being reportedly arrested. His involvement points to potential links between public contracts and private enterprise, raising further questions about the extent of financial irregularities on the island.
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