Investigations in the fight against crime in Portugal’s National Health Service in 2014 detected scams totaling just €5.5 million, according to the Homeland Security Annual Report covering last year.
According to the document delivered to parliament today, in 2014 the Judicial Police unit that combats economic crime concluded "several investigations into crimes of active and passive corruption, improper receipt of advantage, document forgery, criminal conspiracy, money laundering and drug trafficking."
One of the investigations detected fraud in the National Health Service based on "issuing false prescriptions," or more specifically, selling medical equipment and supplies in return for cash contributions and travel. Those convicted had costs the taxpayer €1.5 million.
"In the course of these investigations 59 searches were conducted, 33 arrests made and 148 people made defendants, 250 witnesses were heard and items were seized,” according to the report which added that as a result of the investigations "severe coercive measures, such as preventive detention," were imposed.
The document also stated that there was less crime as the NHS had suffered budget cuts.
Another case where fake prescriptions were issued by crooked doctors and the drugs then sold on at higher values, had been going on since 2009 and was concluded last year.
These prescription drug scams had cost the taxpayer €4 million and led to the conviction of 16 of the 18 defendants, 13 of which were jailed for forgery and aggravated fraud.
