The Public Security Police (PSP) in the Algarve made unrelated early morning arrests on Saturday, all for possession of weapons.
A 23 year old man arrested in Portimão for illegal possession of a firearm, and two other suspects aged 16 and 18 were arrested in Olhão, for committing a robbery using a bladed weapon.
The young man arrested in Portimão was wandering around in the nightlife area of Praia da Rocha, in possession of a firearm. The Special Police Unit intervention team was called to the scene and managed to locate the suspect who when searched was carrying an illegal 6.35 mm caliber pistol, with three rounds of ammunition and ready to fire.
The PSP found that the detainee had an "extensive criminal record" and that he had recently been sentenced to a 6 year prison term for drug trafficking, assault and robbery, and is awaiting the outcome of the appeal against the sentence he presented in the case in question.
In Olhão, a robbery was reported on a main road in which the victim was approached by two hooded teenage men using a bladed weapon, and told to hand over several items he had in his possession. The two suspects escaped after the robbery on an electric bicycle.
Based on the descriptions provided by the victim, the Olhão PSP managed to intercept the suspects. The police recovered the stolen goods, and seized the bladed weapon and two black "mountain pass" caps from the men.
All those arrested were brought before the Court on Saturday, and in the case of Portimão, preventive detention was ordered and in the case of Olhão, weekly presentations at the Police Station were ordered for both suspects.