Cursos / 2º Ciclo / Faculty of Law :: Criminology

INVESTIGAÇÃO DA CRIMINALIDADE ORGANIZADA - 2025/2026

1º curricular year
Semestralidade: 1st semester
ECTS: 3.5

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutor Daniel Tavares
Assistant Professor: Prof. Doutor Daniel Tavares

Class type and School hours

Teórico-prática : 1 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

Reinforced knowledge about the diverse transversal and specific characteristics assumed by the different forms that organized and economic-financial crime takes.
Critical reflection on the economic, social and political consequences that result from this form of crime.

Specific Aims/Objectives

Understand how the special characteristics of organized crime influence and condition the preventive and repressive action of this phenomenon as well as the respective measures and means of investigation

Skills to be acquired

To contact the different international, national and transnational normative structures and instruments dedicated to the investigation of prevention and fight against organized crime

Teaching Procedures

Theoretical-practical classes with eventual audio-visual support, exposing the programmed material and encouraging critical analysis and oral intervention in students.
Indication of other readings appropriate to each theme

Programme

Introduction

PART I
1. Characterization and identification of organized crime
1.1. Plurality of elements, business structure and transnationality
1.2. Globalization and cybercrime
1.3. Links to terrorism, economic-financial crime and power structures
1.4. Organizations and scope of activity
1.5. Social, economic and political consequences
2. Differentiated criminal treatment. The White Collor Crime (WCC)
3. Evolution of organized crime: RASI’s

PART II
ORGANIZED AND ECONOMIC-FINANCIAL CRIME
INVESTIGATION, PREVENTION AND COMBAT
FORMAL INSTANCES OF CONTROL
INTERNACIONAL COOPERATION
1. Substantive national law
Previous note: Distinction between criminal organizations vs co-participation, complicity, continued crime.
1.1 Punishment of organized crime/criminal association in Portugal: General and special regimes
1.2 Other frequent crimes in the organized crime: PENAL CODE: Corruption, money laundering; trafficking in persons and human organs; influence peddling; economic participation in business. VARIOUS LEGISLATION: Assistance and association to assist illegal immigration (Law 23/2007, of 04/7) Arms trafficking (Law 5/2006, of 23/01) Crimes of responsibility of political office holders in the exercise of their duties (Law 34/87, of 16/7) Corruption in international trade and in the private sector (Law 20/2008, of 21/4) Cybercrime (Law 109/2009, of 15/9)
2. Projection of the specific characteristics of organized crime in the difficulties of investigation, prevention and combat. Some examples
3. Investigation, prevention and combat: Competences, authorities, measures, regimes and special actions.
3.1. Competences of Criminal Police Bodies (OPC’s): Criminal Investigation Organization Law (Law 49/2008, of 27/08)
3.2. Concept of highly organized crime: The ´catalog´ for the purposes of criminal investigation: In particular: Combating corruption, mixed anti-crime brigades (drugs), breach of banking and tax secrecy, voice and image recording, loss of assets and instruments and covert actions
3.3. Investigation, prevention and combat. Judicial Authorities: Public Prosecutor´s Office (MP)
3.4. Criminal Police Bodies - Previous Point
3.5. Judicial Police, PSP, GNR, ASAE, AM, AAN, ATA. Portuguese border control system after SEF’s extinction
3.6. Control, inspection and coordination of OPC’s activities
3.7. The Homeland Security System (SIS)
3.8. Importance of combating money laundering in the fight against organized crime and terrorism
3.9. Witness protection
4. International Law and International Cooperation:
4.1 General notes, Council of Europe and OECD
4.2 UN: Various instruments. The Palermo Convention and Annex Protocols
5. Main cooperation instruments in the EUROPEAN UNION: Various means. Adherence to the Palermo Convention and its Protocols, combating corruption, means of payment, arms and drug trafficking, cybercrime. Eurojust and European Public Prosecutor´s Office. European Judicial Networks (Criminal and Civil) OLAF, European Arrest Warrant, confiscation and recovery of assets and mutual recognition of decisions. Bilateral cooperation of the Union.
6. Policial cooperation: The relevant role of Europol in the European Union. Representation in Portugal of Europol and Interpol (PUC-CPI)
7. International Cooperation in Portugal. Main national instruments: Evolution and current regimes
8. Bilateral cooperation in Portugal. In particular: Crimes against people, drug and weapons trafficking

Evaluation Type

One mandatory test
Evaluation of interest, of the commitment and oral intervention
Record of attendance at class.

Teaching Resources

Bibliography and legislation indicated.
Consultation of monographs and articles.
Occasional use of video-projector for presentation of slides and other support material, some of which is made available to students on the Moodle electronic platform at Universidade Lusíada

Sustainability Objectives

Keywords

Organized and economic-financial crime
Criminal organizations
Criminal investigation
Prevention and repression

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography