PJ ceases use of Xuxas's assets following 2022 court order unknown to police
The PJ decided to stop using sofas, televisions and gym equipment seized from trafficker Xuxas after discovering a court order that annulled Luís Neves's authorisation.
PJ orders immediate cessation of use of assets seized from Xuxas
The Judicial Police ordered the immediate cessation of use of furniture, gym equipment and televisions seized from Rúben Oliveira, known as Xuxas, in the context of a major drug trafficking case. The decision was announced this Monday, following a report by TVI's Exclusivo programme, according to CNN Portugal.
The assets in question — valued at several tens of thousands of euros — raised concerns among experts interviewed by TVI/CNN Portugal, who questioned their connection to any police operational activity. The law only permits a criminal police authority to claim the use of seized assets whilst awaiting the final conclusion of an investigation if such operational utility is demonstrated.
Court order annulled in 2022 never reached the PJ
Last week, TVI's Exclusivo revealed that the Central Criminal Instruction Court of Lisbon had declared null, in November 2022, the order from then national PJ director Luís Neves, which authorised the use of those assets. The reason: the assets had been placed under seizure regime — not seizure — two legal classifications with distinct rules that do not authorise the same uses by police forces.
The judge's order is explicit: "The order issued by the National Director of the PJ (based on the presumption of seizure when seizure had already been determined) is non-existent and consequently unable to produce any effect."
The PJ responded this Monday, guaranteeing that, "following inquiries undertaken in the meantime, it was possible to determine that the Judicial Police was not informed or notified of the order" dated 7 November 2022. The institution did not clarify how a court order relevant to asset management could have gone unnoticed for almost three years.
Assets to go to warehouse
After becoming aware of the order, PJ management issued a directive for the assets to be immediately withdrawn from circulation. "Following knowledge of that order, a directive was issued for immediate cessation of temporary use of the assets in question, which will be deposited in a warehouse," the police confirmed.
The PJ identified the assets actually used in different units: five televisions, one sofa, two chairs and various gym equipment. The institution did not specify which facilities these assets were located in.
Luís Neves's vehicle in dispute
The VW Golf GTD driven by Luís Neves — first as national director of the PJ and currently as Minister of Internal Administration — was not included in the operational utility order declared null in 2022.
The current leadership of the Judicial Police maintains that the vehicle is seized and not under seizure, which would make its use legal. Xuxas's defence contests this position, arguing that the car is under seizure regime, which would also make its use by Luís Neves illegal, even during the period when he served as PJ director.
Source: CNN Portugal