Lisbon, May 21, 2025 (Lusa) - Three people were detained on Wednesday by the Portuguese Judicial Police (PJ) on suspicion of participating in a scheme to supply Portugal’s flag carrier TAP and other airlines with aircraft parts that did not meet the required standards.

"The case involves suspicions of supplying aeronautical parts and components to air transport companies and their maintenance units, accompanied by certification documentation that is suspected of having been forged. These components, classified as “Suspected Unapproved Parts”, do not comply with the requirements of the original manufacturers," the PJ said in a statement.

According to a source linked to the investigation, one of the airlines affected is TAP.

The scheme was reported in 2023 by one of the airlines, "following the detection, in its supply chains, of uncertified components intended to be installed in aircraft engines during maintenance operations," the PJ (the country's main criminal investigation agency) said.

The police force adds that, before filing the complaint, the same company reported the situation to the air safety authorities, "thus contributing to the mitigation of any risks and to the rapid intervention of airport security authorities at international level".

The three people detained in Operation “Voo Cego” are charged with aggravated fraud, document forgery, malicious mismanagement, endangering air transport safety, money laundering, passive corruption, corruption to the detriment of international trade and aggravated tax fraud.

A total of 10 search warrants were executed today in the Lisbon area, the South Bank og the River Tagus, the Alentejo region, the Algarve region and the interior of the country.

The suspects will be brought before a court for questioning by a judge and possible coercive measures.

IB/AYLS // AYLS

Lusa