Miguel Pereira / JN
The closed houses did not meet the health, hygiene and adequate number of caregivers to guarantee the well-being and safety of users. At issue are suspected crimes of homicide, criminal association, mistreatment, tax fraud and embezzlement.
The GNR closed this Tuesday nine residences that operated illegally as nursing homes in Lousada, in the Porto district. These resulted in the arrest of six women, between 25 and 65 years old, and a man, aged 60.
According to , the military verified that the residences, which did not have any licenses to accommodate the elderly, housed 11 people, nine women and two men among the 78 and 95 years. The elderly were sent to reception locations identified by Social Security.
The detainees will be presented this Wednesday for their first judicial interrogation in the Penafiel Criminal Instruction Court.
According to investigations carried out by the GNR’s Center for Investigation and Support for Specific Victims of Penafiel, since 2016, the suspects housed more than one hundred elderly people vulnerable people in several apartments in Lousada without license and authorization to operate as homes.
The group aimed to obtain the greatest possible profit and, in this sense, did not meet the minimum requirements related to hygiene or food. Many of the users they will have gone hungry.
The police action was reinforced by the Criminal Investigation Centers (NIC) of Amarante, Penafiel and Felgueiras, the Investigation and Support Center for Specific Victims (NIAVE) of Penafiel, and the Territorial Posts of Amarante, Marco de Canaveses, Vila Meã, Santo Tirso, Lousada, Paços de Ferreira, Felgueiras, Paredes, Penafiel and Medas.
The operation also had the support of the Social Security of Porto, the Criminal Investigation Court (TIC) of Penafiel, the Judicial Court of the District of Porto Este and the Health Delegation of Tâmega e Sousa.
