Portuguese police carried out extensive searches on Thursday, April 3, as part of an ongoing investigation into corruption linked to IT service contracts.
The operation targeted multiple government institutions, including the Bank of Portugal, which confirmed its involvement and cooperation.
Authorities conducted 75 searches across Lisbon, Porto, and Braga, focusing on homes, accounting firms, company headquarters, and government offices. According to officials, the investigation is centered on employees rather than high-ranking government officials.
Police stated that the searches were connected to IT service contracts awarded to public institutions and a private company between 2017 and 2025. The probe involves allegations of corruption, document forgery, fraud, abuse of influence, and other criminal activities.
Law enforcement officials revealed that the inquiry targets “a group of individuals who, through joint efforts and deliberate actions, harmed dozens of public and private contract procedures with a total value of at least €17 million.”
“These searches aimed to gather information related to the employees of these services and were not directed at political decision-makers,” the police added.
