An official source from PSP of Porto told Lusa news agency that the police operation called 'Golden Ticket' has "a few dozen agents" from criminal investigation, special unit, rapid intervention teams and other services, and that "evidence was still being collected at the beginning of this evening".

From the operation that investigates the transaction of tickets for FC Porto games sold in the 'black market', so far there have been "more than a dozen individuals constituted as defendants" and "thousands of tickets seized".

Today, at 7 pm, one hour and a half before the 'dragons' receive their rival Boavista, for the 33rd and penultimate round of the I Football League, the seized amounts of money were being counted, added the same police source.

The Public Prosecution Service (MP) suspects "collusion" between employees linked to FC Porto and an associated company and members of Super Dragões in the acquisition of tickets for football games later sold in the 'black market', leading to searches carried out today.

"From all the evidence gathered so far and duly documented, there is no doubt that several people have considerable profits from the irregular sale of tickets, which clearly harms FC Porto and the State, which is 'known and accepted' within the club as a bargaining chip for the support of the cheering section", can be read in the search warrants and in the inquiry to which Lusa had access today.

Porto Comercial, a company belonging to the business universe of FC Porto, and the club's associate store started to be searched this morning at Estádio do Dragão, in Porto.

"FC Porto informs that searches are taking place in one of the Group's participating [companies], Porto Comercial, and in the Associate's store at Estádio do Dragão, and it is already committed to providing all and any support to the authorities in the course of their inquiries", indicated the recently sworn-in board of André Villas-Boas, in a statement.

The searches happen hours before FC Porto, third classified in the I League, with 66 points, receives Boavista, 14th, with 31, under the arbitration of Artur Soares Dias, from the Porto association.

A source from PSP mentioned that the searches serve to "comply with several judicial warrants" and are being carried out "with the support of several police services".

Operation Praetorian investigates the incidents that occurred at the General Assembly (GA) of FC Porto, on November 13, 2023, with the Public Prosecution Service arguing that the cheering section Super Dragões intended to "create a climate of intimidation and fear", so that the statutory revision "of interest" to the then 'blue and white' board, led by Pinto da Costa, would be approved.

On January 31st of this year, PSP arrested 12 people - including two FC Porto employees and the leader of Super Dragões, Fernando Madureira, who remains in preventive detention, along with Hugo Carneiro.

Leia Também: FC Porto-Boavista: Sérgio Conceição aposta em Galeno e Wendell (Portuguese version)