Portugal news explained

The Lisboeta

Searches in Madeira probe €3.6m EU‑fund fraud

Wednesday, 25 February 2026AI summary

The Judicial Police (PJ) carried out 26 searches in Lisbon and Funchal in an operation investigating suspected fraud of about €3.6 million in European funds allocated to reforestation projects in Madeira. Authorities have identified seven defendants — five people and two companies — and the case is being led by the European Public Prosecutor's Office. Those working with EU funds or public procurement in Madeira should expect further legal activity and possible disruptions to affected projects.

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.

The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is an EU-level body set up to investigate and prosecute crimes that affect the EU budget, such as subsidy fraud, corruption and money laundering; it became operational on 1 June 2021. Its involvement in a case means investigations can be coordinated across participating EU countries, which matters when judicial police searches target suspected misuse of EU funds.