Kate McCann admits in her book that private criminal investigations in Portugal were illegal.

[ferryman]

Has no legal standing is quite different from being illegal.

[Angelo222]

Some try to obfuscate by confusing who contracted Metodo and who was giving the orders.  From Kates own book.....

Quote from: Kate McCann's book Madeleine

Our first investigators, the Spanish company Método 3, began working for us in October. With private investigations technically illegal in Portugal, we felt the closest we could get would be a firm from somewhere on the Iberian Peninsula, which would have the advantage of familiarity with local systems, culture and geography and the best network of contacts in the region.

Read it well chaps >>  began working for us!!

[Jean-Pierre]

Some try to obfuscate by confusing who contracted Metodo and who was giving the orders.  From Kates own book.....

Quote from: Kate McCann's book Madeleine

Our first investigators, the Spanish company Método 3, began working for us in October. With private investigations technically illegal in Portugal, we felt the closest we could get would be a firm from somewhere on the Iberian Peninsula, which would have the advantage of familiarity with local systems, culture and geography and the best network of contacts in the region.

I fail to see what you are getting so exercised about in that passage Angelo.


Read it well chaps >>  began working for us!!

[Angelo222]

Don't you think the fact that maddie is missing proves  a crime took place....can you give me a scenario which does not include a crime

Easy... she walked out the front door got lost and fell in a drainage trench.  Or she walked out the front door got run over accidentally by someone in the dark who panicked and hid the body.  The latter being an accidental crime or culpable homicide.

[Mr Gray]

Easy... she walked out the front door got lost and fell in a drainage trench.  Or she walked out the front door got run over accidentally by someone in the dark who panicked and hid the body.  The latter being an accidental crime or culpable homicide.

The second one is a crime....don't you think someone would have witnessed both these scenarios

[John]

Easy... she walked out the front door got lost and fell in a drainage trench.  Or she walked out the front door got run over accidentally by someone in the dark who panicked and hid the body.  The latter being an accidental crime or culpable homicide.

That's certainly as valid as possibility as any other which is claimed.  We know there were several open trenches around the town on the night Madeleine disappeared.  I have seen the edge of excavations collapse many times in my own professional career as a civil engineer when someone walks too close to the edge.  That is why any excavations in the UK which exceed 4' must be shored up.  Had she fallen into a trench she could have been covered by material which fell in afterwards and so never found the next day.

Lots of things occur in the dark and are never reported.  Had she been run over that night it was most unlikely to have been seen by anyone given how quiet that part of the town was.

Back on topic, I fail to see how the McCanns will ever be able to square their involvement with Método 3 and their admission that hiring PI's in Portugal was technically illegal.  For one thing, the use of the phrase 'technically illegal' is incompetent.  Something is either legal or illegal, there is no middle ground, no safe haven for wishful thinkers.

[sadie]

Easy... she walked out the front door got lost and fell in a drainage trench.  Or she walked out the front door got run over accidentally by someone in the dark who panicked and hid the body.  The latter being an accidental crime or culpable homicide.

Oh so now you have changed from Madeleine walked out from the patio doors to Madeleine walked out from the Front door, have you?

What made you change your mind?



And why are you so determined to never consider abduction as an option?



Do you have any pointers to show that Madeleine walked out via the front door?
Which direction do you think she went?

[Alfred R Jones]

That's certainly as valid as possibility as any other which is claimed.  We know there were several open trenches around the town on the night Madeleine disappeared.  I have seen the edge of excavations collapse many times in my own professional career as a civil engineer when someone walks too close to the edge.  That is why any excavations in the UK which exceed 4' must be shored up.  Had she fallen into a trench she could have been covered by material which fell in afterwards and so never found the next day.

Lots of things occur in the dark and are never reported.  Had she been run over that night it was most unlikely to have been seen by anyone given how quiet that part of the town was.

Back on topic, I fail to see how the McCanns will ever be able to square their involvement with Método 3 and their admission that hiring PI's in Portugal was technically illegal.  For one thing, the use of the phrase 'technically illegal' is incompetent.  Something is either legal or illegal, there is no middle ground, no safe haven for wishful thinkers.

Tell that to the Portuguese authorities who did not prosecute the PIs for this apparently illegal act. 

[stephen25000]

Investigators employed by Halligen admitted operating in Portugal.

They admitted it was illegal.

They did so on the channel 5 program.

[Benice]

As the PJ met up with Metodo3 operatives and accepted information from them about the case - it would seem they didn't consider any lawbreaking had taken place either.    They would hardly put themselves in a position of being seen to be aiding and abetting an illegal act IMO.


Quote from Joao Carlos, Inspector.

During the course of this meeting, the director of METODO 3 gave us a small book (attached), with information relative to the disappearance of the minor. This information, as we were told, was received via telephone and that they had already opened a line in Spain, specifically to receive and deal with information.
End quote

[stephen25000]

As the PJ met up with Metodo3 operatives and accepted information from them about the case - it would seem they didn't consider any lawbreaking had taken place either.    They would hardly put themselves in a position of being seen to be aiding and abetting an illegal act IMO.


Quote from Joao Carlos, Inspector.

During the course of this meeting, the director of METODO 3 gave us a small book (attached), with information relative to the disappearance of the minor. This information, as we were told, was received via telephone and that they had already opened a line in Spain, specifically to receive and deal with information.
End quote

metodo3 have criminal convictions.

How can anyone trust them ?

[Jean-Pierre]

Investigators employed by Halligen admitted operating in Portugal.

They admitted it was illegal.

They did so on the channel 5 program.

In which case the Authorites must be incredibly dim.

If they have the power to take action, why have they not exercised that power?

[faithlilly]

As the PJ met up with Metodo3 operatives and accepted information from them about the case - it would seem they didn't consider any lawbreaking had taken place either.    They would hardly put themselves in a position of being seen to be aiding and abetting an illegal act IMO.


Quote from Joao Carlos, Inspector.

During the course of this meeting, the director of METODO 3 gave us a small book (attached), with information relative to the disappearance of the minor. This information, as we were told, was received via telephone and that they had already opened a line in Spain, specifically to receive and deal with information.
End quote

Information via Spanish telephone therefore not illegal.

We know however that several of the McCanns PIs were working in Portugal and the information gleaned from those investigations I'm sure was not passed on to the PJ.

[stephen25000]

In which case the Authorites must be incredibly dim.

If they have the power to take action, why have they not exercised that power?

So as the Portuguese were unaware of these activities and those involved had disappeared back to their respective countries, it would have involved considerable expense and the use of warrants to bring them to justice.

...and we know who the mccanns employed to avoid extradition, don't we.

Think 'Pinochet' and you know what he did, don't you ?

[Brietta]

The earliest - and only - reference I can locate to illegality was in an article by Levy (In this post I will expose and prove how the so called journalist 'Duarte Levy' is nothing more than a con man, a swindler and a dangerous pathological liar.) http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2009/06/exposing-swindler-truth-about.html 

There are numerous firms advertising Private Investigations in Portugal … even missing person searches. 
I think it is therefore logical to assume that PI per se are not illegal in Portugal and are just another myth originating from suspect sources.

Just four cites from many ...

We have been established in Portugal since 1992 with offices in Lisbon, the Algarve and London. We undertake various investigations into all manner of subjects throughout the world and have agents throughout Portugal, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Angola. http://www.private-investigator-detective.net/private-investigator-detective-lisbon-portugal.html

We are handling private investigation services in Portugal and other parts of world. The region of Portugal is looked after by our international associates/partners firms who are well-established with network, highly reliable & trustworthy and experienced to provide our comprehensive investigative and intelligence services according to the locale. http://www.grevesgroup.com/portugal.html

Portugal Investigators
If you need investigators in Portugal, please fill out the form below and PInow.com will find an investigator who can assist you.  http://www.pinow.com/investigators/intl/portugal

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