Portuguese Navy Accused of Illegal Interference in Maritime Police Operation

Association of Maritime Police Inspectors and Chiefs Accuses Navy of Law Violation

In a recent statement, the Association of Inspectors and Chiefs of the Maritime Police (AICPM) has accused the Portuguese Navy of violating multiple laws, including the Portuguese Constitution, Article 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Internal Security Law. The allegations center on the Navy's interference in a tactical police action by the Maritime Police aboard a foreign vessel in Portuguese territorial waters.

According to the AICPM, the Navy sent a group of naval fusiliers from the Special Actions Detachment on Thursday to carry out a police action on the foreign ship Odysseus near Lagos, without any legal authority to do so. This move is described as a direct interference in a tactical-police operation.

"The Portuguese Navy, without any legal competence for such an action, sent a group of naval fusiliers to effect a police action aboard the foreign ship Odysseus in territorial waters," the statement reads.

The association is now calling for intervention from the Secretary-General of the Internal Security System and competent judicial authorities to investigate the Navy's actions against civilians in national territory, which includes territorial waters. They express regret that the Commander-General of the Maritime Police did not fulfill his duties as a Criminal Police Authority, noting that the current system allows the Chief of Naval Staff to indirectly issue orders and interfere with the police force.

This incident follows a joint operation on Thursday where operatives from the National Maritime Authority (AMN) and the Navy boarded the merchant ship Odysseus off the Algarve coast after detecting the presence of unauthorized individuals among the crew. The ship, flying the Liberian flag, had reported the issue and requested assistance from Portuguese authorities.

"The Maritime Operations Center received an alert on Wednesday evening about a radio communication from the merchant ship Odysseus," according to a joint statement from AMN and the Navy.

In response to the request, the Portimão Harbor Master activated AMN resources and requested Navy support. A team from both entities boarded the ship approximately six nautical miles from the Portuguese coast to restore security conditions for the vessel and its crew. The ship is now sailing safely towards Sines, with AMN and Navy personnel ensuring its security off the Algarve coast.