The trial is being held in a fire station at Valadares, in Vila Nova de Gaia, because of the large number of accused involved. Tuesday’s first session served only to formally identify the accused.
The accused, who include instructors, examiners and pupils from various driving schools around Porto, face a total of 1,142 counts of corruption and IT forgery.
According to public prosecutors, the candidates used earpieces and miniature cameras to film the screens of the computers used in the exam, which were seen by instructors in place outside the building, and who supplied them with the correct answers.
The scheme, which is alleged to have been set up in 2012, raked in some €620,000 in profit, prosecutors say.