Dozen of cars seized, 14 people arrested, 30 children ’referenced’ to child protection services
Police finally moved in this weekend on the ‘illegal races’ that have become a part of life in several areas of northern Portugal.
In a first operation, on Friday night/ Saturday morning in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos (Porto district) dozens of vehicles were seized; fourteen people arrested, and 30 minors ‘flagged’ – one as young as four and a half.
The majority of arrests were for dangerous driving, but there were some also for driving without a valid licence.
The 14 arrested were aged between 21 and 34.
Late night races have been going on apparently freely in the Matosinhos area for the last 18 months. Hundreds of people turn out to watch them, and take part in the revelry, bringing their children in some cases.
According to police, even being a spectator can be ‘a risk’, due to the chances of accidents as cars hurtle along the improvised ‘pistes’.
The operation involving police from various traffic detachments inspected more than 200 vehicles, issuing 37 ‘administrative offence notices’ (for lack of correct documents/ insurance, etc).
Among the vehicles ‘seized’ were 23 that had undergone ‘alterations to their characteristics’, without the necessary authorisations/ inspections.
In a subsequent note, the GNR took the opportunity to point out that “it is attentive to the growing phenomenon commonly known as ‘Street Racing’, due to the social alarm and the serious consequences of these dangerous events, as well as the fact that they constitute criminal actions, which are increasingly organised, whether they are of a criminal or administrative nature”.
Friday night’s action was carried out by police from the Penafiel Traffic Detachment, the Intervention Detachment, the Felgueiras, Penafiel and Matosinhos Territorial Detachments, the National Traffic Unit (UNT) and the Public Order Intervention Group (GIOP), from the Intervention Unit (UI).
Today, PSP police in Aveiro said they have identified a driver for holding illegal races in São João da Madeira, who could be charged with the crime of dangerous driving.
In a statement, the police force said that the São João da Madeira Police Station (part of the Aveiro District Command) took action following complaints about illegal races in the park within the Travessas industrial area.
Agents moved in last night, issuing notices for various infractions (failure to carry out mandatory periodic inspections, excessive speed, lack of civil liability insurance – this being considered serious enough to ‘confiscate’ the vehicle in question).
All these ‘facts’ have now been reported to the local courts.
In a statement, the PSP promise to “continue to be on the lookout for this type of illegal practice, which constitutes a serious breach of road traffic rules and endangers the lives or physical integrity of participants and spectators (…) in order to neutralize this type of conduct”.
Source: LUSA
