In total there were 65 searches and 37 arrests from north to south of the country in this PJ (Portuguese Judicial Police) operation, which included searches of the cell of Mário Machado, leader of the neo-Nazi group 1143.
Operation Brotherhood: a member of the armed forces and a police officer among those detained by the PJ
Tuesday, 20 January 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
The Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária) is Portugal’s national criminal investigation force that handles serious crimes such as homicide, organised crime, corruption and major fraud. It conducts criminal inquiries alongside prosecutors, so if you are involved in or affected by a serious criminal case in Portugal the PJ leads investigative work and consular assistance may be helpful.
