RONDÔNIA, BRAZIL — The Federal Police (PF) launched an operation on Wednesday (16) against the extraction, transportation and sale of illegally harvested timber removed from the Roosevelt and Parque do Aripuanã Indigenous Lands, in Espigão D'Oeste, Rondônia state. During the operation, 19 search and seizure warrants were served.

According to the Federal Police, the searches were aimed at seizing electronic devices, documents and financial records that could contribute to the progress of the investigation. The seized material will be analyzed by investigative teams.

According to the agency, the investigation began in November 2023, following the arrest in the act of two men who were transporting logs without documentation near Indigenous Lands.

Analysis of the seized electronic devices indicated the possible involvement of other individuals in the stages of timber extraction, transportation, storage, processing and sale.

The evidence gathered also points to the possible use of companies, documents and irregular forest credits to give the illegally extracted timber the appearance of legality.

The investigation seeks to clarify the role of those involved, identify the recipients of the shipments and determine the possible financial beneficiaries.

The suspects may face charges, depending on their individual participation as established by the investigation, related to the illegal exploitation and sale of forest products, as well as other offenses that may be identified during the investigation.

The measures were authorized by the Federal Court as part of an investigation conducted by the Federal Police in Vilhena.

Amazon Agency