In a statement, the PJ said that the “MBWay” investigation began a few months ago and is based on several cases of fraud committed in an organised manner, using the banking application.

The investigative strategy, the PJ said, was aimed at locating and grouping together the various reports that were scattered throughout various districts of the country, demonstrating “the repeated and organised criminal activity” in order to identify/locate the detainees.

The detainees, 11 men and six women, will now be presented to the first judicial interrogation, for the application of coercive measures.

The investigation of this process is under the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Estremoz and the operation was supported by GNR and PSP.