OSAC - Portugal 2008 Crime & Safety Report

Portugal, including the capital city of Lisbon, currently enjoys a low potential crime threat. According to police statistics, overall crime is down, but there has been a slight up-tick in violent crime. The number of carjackings in Portugal is up 10 percent since 2006, and over 30 percent since 2003. Petty crime, such as pick pocketing, is the most direct threat to Americans visiting/residing in Portugal.

Violent criminal confrontations and the use of firearms are rare, but recent trends indicate that these forms of crime are on the rise. When firearms are used in the commission of crimes in Portugal, the incidents usually involve drug trafficking or carjacking. Visitors should also be aware that it is not unusual to be approached by con artists and small time drug dealers in many tourist parts of Lisbon. U.S citizens should also take note of the fact that burglars and pickpockets are active, and crimes of opportunity are common. Residential break-ins have increased but are still considered to be at a low level. During the past two years, at least three Americans reported to the Embassy that they were victims of date rape type drugs.

The number of traffic fatalities in Portugal is high for Western Europe, but trends show the number of fatalities gradually declining. An increase in the number of traffic police and programs to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities are credited as the primary factors in the downward trend. Road conditions are improving but are still considered poor compared to other Western European countries.

There are elements of organized crime operating in Portugal that are associated with a number of criminal activities including extortion, robber, and drug trafficking. During 2007, in Porto, a major city in northern Portugal, there were a number of highly publicized murders of bouncers at local night clubs -- four in all. The killings were part of a gang war over control of security services at these night clubs. The last murder, which occurred in early December, involved a drive-by with automatic weapons and resulted in wide-spread media coverage. This in turn resulted in heavy political pressure to respond to the incidents. As a result, the Judicial Police arrested almost two dozen people and charged them with complicity in one or more of the murders. In an unrelated case, the owner of the Lisbon “Airplane” night club was killed by a car bomb outside his place of business in early December.

Right-wing skinhead groups, such as the Hammerskins, are also present in Portugal. The most well known leader of these groups, Mario Machado, is currently on trial for inciting racial hatred and weapons charges. Machado already served time for murder. Since 2005 there have been about 13 racially related assaults in Portugal by skinheads. There was also one instance of vandalism of a Jewish cemetery in Lisbon this year. Two youths were arrested and charged with the vandalism. For the past two years, European Neo Nazi groups have met or attempted to hold conferences in Lisbon. In April 2007, the Judicial Police disrupted one such conference and arrested 10 people on various charges including weapons possession and inciting racial hatred.

For the most part, anti-American sentiment is low in Portugal but protests against American policy have occurred. For example, in March 2007, in Rossio, a traditional gathering place for protesters, about 200 people peacefully demonstrated against the “occupation” of Iraq. The demonstration was not overtly anti-American. During the 2006 Israeli-Lebanese conflict, there were three peaceful demonstrations in Portugal against Israel and the war. Some protesters carried anti-American signs. That being said, the potential for civil unrest in Portugal is low. Portugal has experienced peaceful transitions of power since the revolution in 1974.

Civil unrest, in the form of peaceful demonstrations or strikes by labor unions or political parties, occurs sporadically. These protests or strikes are peaceful and permitted by the Portuguese government. For instance, on May 30, 2007, there was a large one-day strike that primarily impacted the transportation sector.

International and transnational terrorist acts, though possible, are not considered likely in Portugal due to effective law enforcement measures and intelligence gathering abilities. However, in late 2007, an Algerian national was arrested in Porto at the request of the Italian government. The Algerian was wanted for membership in a terrorist support group allegedly recruiting suicide bombers in Europe. Additionally, Portugal continues to work with the Spanish authorities regarding alleged Basque separatists (ETA) using safe houses in southern Portugal. In 2007, two vehicles leased in Portugal were used in bomb attack schemes in Spain. There are also news reports that a Galician separatist group uses safe havens in northern Portugal.

Post-Specific Concerns

Earthquakes are the biggest post-specific natural disaster concern in Portugal. In 1755, an earthquake and associated tsunami destroyed much of downtown Lisbon and killed an estimated 30,000 people. There have been no major earthquakes since then, though tremors of varying degrees are common.

Kidnappings are rare in Portugal, and are not a major post-specific concern. Drug trafficking is on the rise. The numbers of seizures of most forms of illicit narcotics are increasing in frequency and magnitude. That being said, the number and size of cocaine seizures has dropped sharply in the last year after several years of dramatic increases. Currently there is no known link between criminal elements and narco-terrorism in Portugal. It should be noted that possession of cocaine (up to 2 grams), heroin (up to 1 gram) and hashish (up to 5 grams) is decriminalized in Portugal.

The support of Portuguese authorities when called to assist foreigners is good. There are two uniformed police agencies in Portugal. The Public Security Police (PSP) and the Republican National Guard (GNR) provide general police services. The PSP is located in major cities, while the GNR is primarily responsible for rural areas. If an American citizen is detained by the PSP, GNR, Judicial Police, or another law enforcement organization, he or she should ask to speak with an officer from the United States Embassy. U.S citizens requiring assistance after hours can call the Embassy operator who can assist in contacting the Embassy duty officer.

The national emergency phone number in Portugal is 112 for police, fire and medical assistance. The service is similar to the 911 system used in the United States and may be called from all telephones, including cellular phones, for assistance with any forms of emergencies. English-speaking operators are available to assist callers who do not speak Portuguese. Major cities and tourist destinations have “tourism bureau” police stations manned by English speaking officers. These stations are not, however, open 24 hours. The tourism police station in Lisbon is located at Praca dos Restauradores and its phone number is 21-342-1634. Additionally, most hospital emergency rooms have small police units.

For medical emergencies, dial 112 and request medical assistance. English speaking operators are available to assist callers. Ambulances are routinely dispatched in medical emergencies and have a registered nurse or doctor on board. Routine and non-emergency medical referral assistance may be obtained through a hotel concierge or by calling one of the English speaking or international clinics listed below. There are also 24-hour pharmacies available. Below are some emergency contact numbers:

24-hour Emergency Response: 112
24-hour Pharmacy Information: 118
British Hospital: 351-21-721-3400
Clinica Medica International de Cascais: 351-21-484-5317
Hospital da CUF Descobertas: 351-21-002-5200
Hospital Santa Maria (Trauma ER): 351-21-780-5000
Hospital Sao Francisco Xavier (Trauma ER): 351-21-300-0300
Poison Control: 351-21-795-0143
Civil Protection: 351-21-416-5100

There is a growing trend of credit card fraud in Portugal that is being detected and disrupted by local authorities. Lisbon, like any major city, has certain crime hot spots, but visitors are advised to always exercise caution and security awareness. Areas to be avoided in Lisbon are Intendente, Campo De Ourique, and Parque Eduardo Septimo (at night). All visitors should remain vigilant when in Portugal. Some common things to avoid which will assist in reducing the likelihood of becoming a victim include crowded public transportation, displaying cash in public areas, and leaving bags unattended, especially at outdoor restaurants and cafes. Visitors should also carry only the amount of cash needed for daily purchases and should attempt to limit the number of credit cards carried.

The U.S Embassy is located at Avenida das Forças Armadas 1600-081 Lisbon. U.S citizens are encouraged to register with the U.S Embassy prior to visiting Portugal and can obtain updated travel information at http://portugal.usembassy.gov/ .Should visitors experience serious problems while in Portugal, they are encouraged to contact the U.S Embassy at the phone numbers listed below.

Lisbon has an active OSAC Country Council. For more information on the OSAC Country Council in Lisbon contact the Regional Security Officer or visit http://lisbon.osac.gov/. For general information on OSAC Country Councils visit http://www.osac.gov.

Portugal 2008 Crime & Safety Report

Crime & Safety

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