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19 July 2026in NOW Carlos Melo Alves comments on the case involving Portugal's Minister of Internal Administration

Carlos Melo Alves appeared on NOW's news programme, where he analysed, in his capacity as a criminal law specialist, the case involving Portugal's Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves.

The discussion focused on renovation works carried out at the Minister's private residence by a contractor that had also been awarded contracts by the Portuguese Judicial Police, as well as the transfer of a trailer containing seized chemical materials from the Portuguese Navy's facilities to the premises of the same contractor.

During the programme, Carlos Melo Alves examined the publicly known facts from a criminal law perspective, stating that, based on the information currently available, "I am unable to identify any fact that carries criminal relevance." 

He explained that, in his capacity as National Director of the Portuguese Judicial Police, Luís Neves had the legal authority to order the transfer of seized assets, provided that such a decision was justified on operational grounds. Carlos Melo Alves further noted that some of the circumstances reported may raise ethical or administrative questions and warrant further scrutiny. However, based on the information currently in the public domain, he does not identify any conduct capable of constituting a criminal offence, also dismissing the possibility that the transfer of the trailer could amount to the offence of theft.

Carlos Melo Alves' participation forms part of Melo Alves' ongoing contribution to public debate through regular appearances in leading media outlets, providing independent, technically rigorous and well-founded legal analysis on matters of significant public interest.