In a statement, the PJ police said they launched an operation at dawn on 22 June aimed at locating and detaining five suspects for the crimes of abduction, attempted murder, attempted sexual abuse of children and damage with firearms, in the cities of Leiria and Marinha Grande.

A sixth person was located and identified as being involved in the consummation of these crimes, the statement reads.

According to the PJ, the facts occurred on a weekend this month, “as a reaction to the fact that relatives of a 13-year-old girl did not accept her marriage to a boy of the same age.”

“To that end, they reacted with gunfire against the child’s father, causing damage with a firearm to various assets, including a house and a vehicle”, reads the statement.

According to the PJ, the suspects, “using great violence”, kidnapped the minor, “in order to force her to marry the boy and maintain a sexual relationship, ending up with the victim being released the next day by the presumed kidnappers”.

The detainees, three men and two women, aged between 26 and 51, have no known work occupation. All have police records and some criminal records related to the areas of ​​robbery and drug trafficking, the PJ source told Lusa agency.

The operation was initiated by the Criminal Investigation Department of Leiria and the Directorate of the Judiciary Police Centre in compliance with orders issued by the Investigation and Criminal Action Department of Leiria.