In a statement providing a provisional assessment of the first two months of the operation, which runs until 15 September, the PSP said that, of the 3,867 arrests, 1,397 were for road crimes, namely driving under the influence of alcohol (702) and driving without a legal license (694).

A total of 331 suspects were also arrested for property crimes (theft, robbery, and fraud) and 418 for drug trafficking, with 298,629 individual doses of drugs seized.

The PSP also highlights the seizure of 650 weapons, of which 126 were firearms, either as a precautionary measure or following the 114 arrests for possession of prohibited weapons.

The operation “Polícia Sempre Presente – Verão Seguro 2024” aims to reinforce visible policing and the feeling of security of citizens, and of those visiting the country, in beach areas, residential areas, areas with larger crowds, tourist areas, nightlife areas, and also on the main road arteries.

In terms of road safety, in the first two months of operation, the PSP checked more than 108,000 drivers and controlled more than 277,400 vehicles using radar, of which 4,679 were speeding.

A total of 33,531 offences were recorded, including 471 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 942 for using a mobile phone while driving, 3,286 for failing to undergo mandatory inspection, 1,033 for lack of insurance, 420 for not wearing a seatbelt and 168 for not using child seats.

In terms of road accidents, in the two months of operation, 9,356 accidents were recorded, resulting in 3,080 injuries (113 serious injuries and 2,967 minor injuries) and 15 fatalities.

Compared to the same period in 2023, there has been an increase in the number of accidents and fatalities. However, the number of serious and minor injuries has decreased.