The Portuguese Maritime Police, along with the Navy, have stepped up surveillance of the country’s maritime border through regular daily patrols by sea and land along the Algarve coast, following the recent migration crisis in Ceuta, Spain.
Ceuta is a small autonomous city of Spain located on the North African coast, first acquired by Portugal in 1415, it later fell under Hispanic rule. The region forms part of the EU’s Schengen Area, and lies just a few dozen kilometres across the sea from the Algarve.
The heightened operations, carried out in cooperation with the GNR’s Coastal and Border Control Unit (UCCF), “are conducted in a coordinated and integrated manner, ensuring a presence both at sea and on land”, the National Maritime Authority said in a statement.
The aim is to strengthen “the surveillance, detection and interception of vessels that may be linked to irregular migration or other illegal activities”.
The Maritime Police and Navy stressed that “maritime security is a shared mission” and called on the public to report “any suspicious movements” to the Lisbon Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Lisbon) or to the local Maritime Police command responsible for the Algarve area.
Ceuta saw more than 60,000 migrants arrive en masse from Morocco from Thursday, 30 June, onwards, although many have since voluntarily returned to the North African country.
The developments come as the Faro district branch of the Chega party, the Algarve’s most well-represented political force in Parliament, called on the Government to provide additional personnel and technical resources to strengthen border surveillance in the Algarve.
In a statement, the party’s Faro representatives welcomed the increased surveillance and monitoring of the land and maritime borders by the National Republican Guard (GNR) and the Maritime Authority, but renewed its call for additional resources for the Algarve.
The party said its request was prompted by the region’s exposure to drug-trafficking networks, irregular migration, and human trafficking originating in North Africa.
The Faro branch of Chega also expressed concern over events reported in Ceuta. According to the party, tens of thousands of migrants in an irregular situation arrived on the territory’s beaches on World Day Against Trafficking of Persons.
Chega described the episode as an “invasion” and alleged that looting, attacks on security forces, and acts of vandalism had taken place, creating a climate of insecurity in Ceuta.
The party argued that the events demonstrated how a lack of border controls could increase insecurity and put additional pressure on housing and public services in local communities.
Chega also drew parallels with migrant landings recorded in the Algarve in 2020 and, more recently, at Boca do Rio beach in the municipality of Vila do Bispo.
The Faro district branch also highlighted two operations to intercept and seize narcotics carried out at the beach within a two-week period, praising the GNR’s “swift action”.
While acknowledging the professionalism of the security forces, Chega said the Government needed to adopt “tough measures” to increase the capacity for surveillance, border enforcement and intervention.
The party also argued that the events in Ceuta should be regarded as “a clear warning for Portugal”, calling for national and European border policies focused on public safety and combating drug trafficking, irregular migration, and human trafficking.
Source: Portuguese Maritime Police / Chega
Photo credit: João Porfírio / OBSERVADOR (In Ceuta)
