This week, Portugal's National Republican Guard (GNR) police force have begun carrying out an operation to raise awareness among the school community and to carry out checks at land borders regarding students travels during the Spring Break.
According to the GNR, the "Spring Break 2024" operation, which is taking place in two phases, involves awareness-raising activities among the school community and inspections at the borders of Vilar Formoso, in the district of Guarda, Caia, in Portalegre, and Vila Real de Santo António, in the Algarve.
The operation aims to prevent risky behaviour among young people who travel to southern Spain and Catalonia on holiday at this time of year.
In the first phase, which runs until 24 March, the GNR will be carrying out awareness-raising activities with young people, with the aim of raising students' awareness of the risk behaviours associated with "the consumption of drugs and alcohol inherent in senior trips and school holidays, aimed at the target group of students from the 9th to the 12th year of schooling".
Between 22 March and 7 April, the GNR, with the support of the criminal investigation team and drug detection binomials, in coordination with the Spanish Guardia Civil, will carry out inspections near the land borders in Vilar Formoso, Caia, and Vila Real de Santo António.
According to the GNR in a statement, the aim is "to detect the practice of offences associated with the consumption of narcotic substances, as well as to guarantee the safety conditions of the vehicles that will be transporting the young people".
The PSP is also carrying out awareness-raising activities among students who are going on finalist trips, warning them against excessive alcohol and drug consumption during journeys.
In a statement sent to Lusa on Tuesday, the Public Security Police said that the "Senior Trips" operation will run until 22 March throughout the country, at a time when pupils are going on senior trips, with Spain being one of the most frequent destinations.
Source Lusa
