This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/news/524241-brazil-environment-minister-investigated-timber-smuggling/
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Brazilian police to raid environment minister’s home as part of probe into illegal timber smuggling ring | Brazilian police to raid environment minister’s home as part of probe into illegal timber smuggling ring |
| (4 months later) | |
| Police in Brazil are targeting the country’s environment minister as well as the head of the Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) as part of a major investigation into a wood-smuggling ring. | Police in Brazil are targeting the country’s environment minister as well as the head of the Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) as part of a major investigation into a wood-smuggling ring. |
| On Wednesday, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes waived the anonymity of the two officials to announce they were being investigated, along with nine others from Ibama. | On Wednesday, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes waived the anonymity of the two officials to announce they were being investigated, along with nine others from Ibama. |
| The judge has stripped the president of Ibama, Eduardo Bim, and a number of his colleagues of their responsibilities, while Environment Minister Ricardo Salles has retained his cabinet position, according to Reuters. | The judge has stripped the president of Ibama, Eduardo Bim, and a number of his colleagues of their responsibilities, while Environment Minister Ricardo Salles has retained his cabinet position, according to Reuters. |
| De Moraes also granted police access to Salles’ bank and tax records and issued 35 search warrants as part of the inquiry. | De Moraes also granted police access to Salles’ bank and tax records and issued 35 search warrants as part of the inquiry. |
| Deforestation in the Amazon hit a 12-year high last year. Environmental activists have called for Salles’ removal from office over his efforts to ease nature safeguards and enforcement during his tenure. | Deforestation in the Amazon hit a 12-year high last year. Environmental activists have called for Salles’ removal from office over his efforts to ease nature safeguards and enforcement during his tenure. |
| Some 160 federal police officers are reportedly involved in searching properties in the Federal District and the states of Para and Sao Paulo, according to Brazilian newspaper O Globo. | Some 160 federal police officers are reportedly involved in searching properties in the Federal District and the states of Para and Sao Paulo, according to Brazilian newspaper O Globo. |
| Those under investigation were allegedly involved in some 8,000 shipments of illegally exported timber between 2019 and 2020, some of which were seized in the US and Europe. | Those under investigation were allegedly involved in some 8,000 shipments of illegally exported timber between 2019 and 2020, some of which were seized in the US and Europe. |
| The allegations are being investigated as part of ‘Operation Akuanduba’, which is looking at the potential involvement of civil servants and businessmen in corruption and smuggling within the timber industry. | The allegations are being investigated as part of ‘Operation Akuanduba’, which is looking at the potential involvement of civil servants and businessmen in corruption and smuggling within the timber industry. |
| Police launched the operation in January after receiving a tip-off from authorities abroad about how and where Brazilian wood was being exported. | Police launched the operation in January after receiving a tip-off from authorities abroad about how and where Brazilian wood was being exported. |
| It takes its name from the Brazilian deity “Akuanduba” from the state of Para, who according to folklore, would sound his flute to bring about order in the world. | It takes its name from the Brazilian deity “Akuanduba” from the state of Para, who according to folklore, would sound his flute to bring about order in the world. |
| Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! |
| Dear readers and commenters, | |
| We have implemented a new engine for our comment section. We hope the transition goes smoothly for all of you. Unfortunately, the comments made before the change have been lost due to a technical problem. We are working on restoring them, and hoping to see you fill up the comment section with new ones. You should still be able to log in to comment using your social-media profiles, but if you signed up under an RT profile before, you are invited to create a new profile with the new commenting system. | |
| Sorry for the inconvenience, and looking forward to your future comments, | |
| RT Team. |