Algarve tests new weapon to fight crime

Rui Pereira, the Minister of Internal Administration, presented the project in Faro on Friday.

The SMILE - «Sistema Móvel de Identificação Local de Estrangeiros, com suporte ao controlo documental e de recolha dos dados biométricos» (Mobile local identification system of foreigners, with documental control support and collection of biometric data) is a portable, light unit “made in” Portugal which allows for on-the-spot reading of documents and their instant transmission to national and international police data bases.

The new system will be tested here between 15th February and 15th March by the Algarve’s branch of SEF (“Servicos de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras”), which is made up of 129 employees – 90 of which are involved in data investigation and verification. Rui Pereira also announced that SEF will be embarking on five investigations “of large impact” in February.

In 2009, the unit carried out 1200 checks on the permanence and activities of foreigners. There were more than 32.000 citizens detected, of which 700 showed irregularities.