The Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) constituted this Wednesday another defendant, the eighth, in the process involving managing partners of the BSports soccer academy, in Riba de Ave, Vila Nova de Famalicão, suspected of human trafficking.
In a statement, the SEF affirms that it complied with a house search order in the city of Paredes, district of Porto, and constituted a Portuguese citizen as a defendant, after the investigation carried out in the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP). ) de Paredes, “which aims to investigate the conduct of the managing partners of the BSports Academy”, located in the district of Braga.
A judicial source told Lusa on Wednesday that the investigation now has eight defendants -five companies and three individuals-, adding that the latter is Manuel Cardoso, cousin of the former president of the General Assembly of the League of Clubs Mário Costa, also accused. and head of that academy, who resigned after the raids to which he was subjected.
In the statement, the SEF indicates that “during the house search, in which eight SEF inspectors intervened, various documents and computer material related to the activity of the academy and its satellite clubs were seized.”
“In the scope of the El Dourado operation, carried out on or after June 12, the SEF has already fulfilled five judicial search warrants, I have, at height, constituted two Portuguese cities and five companies”, read the note of YES f.
The two Portuguese citizens charged in June were Mário Costa and his father.
When searching the BSports academy, 114 young players from South America, Africa and Asia were identified, who would all be in an irregular situation in the country.
In a statement issued on that occasion, the SEF reported that it had identified 47 victims of human trafficking, of which 36 were minors and nine were young adults.
In total, 85 foreigners were identified, including adults and minors.
During the searches carried out in June, the SEF seized documents, namely passports and residence cards, that were not in the possession of their holders, the minors in question.
A judicial source told Lusa this Wednesday that the vast majority of the alleged victims, all minors, had already been heard in the Penafiel Court for future memory, and added that, after the judicial holidays, the interrogation of the victims should begin. witnesses.
The investigation believes that the young athletes were recruited from South America, Africa and Asia and arrived in Portugal with the promise of a contract, valid for 11 months, and would be prevented from leaving the academy whether their parents wanted to interrupt their training or not. . cover the expected payment.
Families would pay between 500 and 1,800 euros per month for the education, training and accommodation of young athletes.
The athletes would be received, supposedly, in precarious conditions, going hungry and cold.
Source: TSF
