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

[faithlilly]

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

RECENT PORTUGAL INQUIRIES

Origin               Investigation Location          Client Type                                  Case Type

South Africa          Portugal               Individual Clients (Personal Cases)       Missing Persons
Tenessee               Portugal               Individual Clients (Personal Cases)       Missing Persons
http://www.icsworld.com/Find_Local_Private_Investigator/Portugal.aspx

Private investigations are illegal WHILE AN OFFICIAL POLICE INVESTIGATION IS TAKING PLACE, they are not illegal per se.

[stephen25000]

Private investigations are illegal WHILE AN OFFICIAL POLICE INVESTIGATION IS TAKING PLACE, they are not illegal per se.

Indeed.

Brietta seems to have omitted that salient point.

[Brietta]

Indeed.

Brietta seems to have omitted that salient point.

The point was so obvious I thought you might have got it ... then I forget how much you like repetition.
Interfering with an active police investigation in any way is illegal in every country in the world.  Including Portugal ... how does that suit you?

But the Drs McCann searching for their daughter using private investigators ... is not.

[stephen25000]

The point was so obvious I thought you might have got it ... then I forget how much you like repetition.
Interfering with an active police investigation in any way is illegal in every country in the world.  Including Portugal ... how does that suit you?

But the Drs McCann searching for their daughter using private investigators ... is not.

What a rubbish answer.

They could have posted the e-fits on their web-site and facebook.

.....and as you keep reminding me, at that point the case was shelved.

So where is there logic in your response ?

[Brietta]

What a rubbish answer.

They could have posted the e-fits on their web-site and facebook.

.....and as you keep reminding me, at that point the case was shelved.

So where is there logic in your response ?

Read the title of the thread ... Kate McCann admits in her book that private criminal investigations in Portugal were illegal.
No she did not ... and No they are not.

The Smith family sighting was publicised in Dr McCann's book ... and I have absolutely no idea why or even if she did not place her faith in a firm which employed a convicted conman who failed to account for money stolen from clients probably including the Madeleine Fund.

[stephen25000]

Read the title of the thread ... Kate McCann admits in her book that private criminal investigations in Portugal were illegal.
No she did not ... and No they are not.

The Smith family sighting was publicised in Dr McCann's book ... and I have absolutely no idea why or even if she did not place her faith in a firm which employed a convicted conman who failed to account for money stolen from clients probably including the Madeleine Fund.

Proof please.   

[stephen25000]

Watch the C5 program and hear what the employee of Halligen said.

[Mr Gray]

Watch the C5 program and hear what the employee of Halligen said.

you probably misheard it

[John]

Private investigations are illegal WHILE AN OFFICIAL POLICE INVESTIGATION IS TAKING PLACE, they are not illegal per se.

Very much so and the status quo back in 2007 was very different to what it is now in 2014.  Private criminal investigators would not be tolerated in the UK in a live investigation so I fail to see how Portugal is any different unless of course it is considered the 'wild west' by the ill-informed and those with an agenda to pursue.

It all comes down to interference with an official investigation which can be rightly labelled obstruction or attempting to pervert the course of justice.  In her book, Kate McCann states that the reason for using Método 3 was because the PJ were no longer searching for Madeleine.  That was in fact a false assessment of the situation.  Senior PJ officers gave evidence at the recent hearings in Lisbon that the case was never closed even after the archiving. Even then, a small team was tasked with disseminating any new information which came into them about the case.  The search for Madeleine never ended.

[sadie]

Very much so and the status quo back in 2007 was very different to what it is now in 2014.  Private criminal investigators would not be tolerated in the UK in a live investigation so I fail to see how Portugal is any different unless of course it is considered the 'wild west' by the ill-informed and those with an agenda to pursue.

It all comes down to interference with an official investigation which can be rightly labelled obstruction or attempting to pervert the course of justice.  In her book, Kate McCann states that the reason for using Método 3 was because the PJ were no longer searching for Madeleine.  That was in fact a false assessment of the situation.  Senior PJ officers gave evidence at the recent hearings in Lisbon that the case was never closed even after the archiving. Even then, a small team was tasked with disseminating any new information which came into them about the case.  The search for Madeleine never ended.

Yep, but Ricardo Paiva was labelling everything NOT RELEVANT, when they clearly were.

[John]

Yep, but Ricardo Paiva was labelling everything NOT RELEVANT, when they clearly were.

Absolutely and Kate reckons he is a [sic] f.....g tosser (at least she did when she wrote Madeleine).

Each time a dog gave a signal, Ricardo would pause the video and inform me that blood had been found in this site and that the DNA from the sample matched Madeleine’s. He would stare at me intently and ask me to explain this. These were the only times I didn’t respond with a ‘No comment.’ Instead I said I couldn’t explain it, but neither could he. I remember feeling such disdain for Ricardo at this point. What was he doing? I thought. Just folowing orders? Under my breath, I found myself whispering, ‘f.....g tosser, f.....g tosser.’ This quiet chant somehow kept me strong, kept me in control. This man did not deserve my respect. ‘f.....g tosser . .

[stephen25000]

Absolutely and Kate reckons he is a [sic] f.....g tosser (at least she did when she wrote Madeleine).

Those words of kate mccann and 'others' in that book will label her for years to come.

The sheer arrogance of the woman is sometimes breathtaking.

[Brietta]

Absolutely and Kate reckons he is a [sic] f.....g tosser (at least she did when she wrote Madeleine).

Given his sharp exit to Madeira and the scandal preceding it, perhaps she was being a wee bit psychic on that occasion.

[stephen25000]

Given his sharp exit to Madeira and the scandal preceding it, perhaps she was being a wee bit psychic on that occasion.

7

...or maybe he was, like a lot of people he was pi###d off with all the press intrusion around the case.

[Brietta]

7

...or maybe he was, like a lot of people he was pi###d off with all the press intrusion around the case.

Check it out Stephen ... but I would make an educated guess you know already .