Environment Minister under the microscope in illegal timber export probe

On March 15, Brazil’s Federal Police announced the removal of Alexandre Saraiva as the force’s superintendent in Amazonas state. Less than 24 hours prior, Mr. Saraiva had pressed charges against Environment Minister Ricardo Salles and Senator Telmário Mota for allegedly facilitating illegal timber exports in the Amazon.

At the end of last year, the former Federal Police superintendent in Amazonas led an operation resulting in the seizure of over 200,000 cubic meters of lumber. With an estimated value of BRL 130 million (USD 24.5 million), it was the largest confiscation of illegal timber in Brazil’s history. Messrs. Salles and Mota lambasted the police action, claiming the wood had been obtained legally.

With Mr. Saraiva relieved of his duties, the Environment Minister visited the Amazon and met with the loggers involved in the case, promising a swift solution to the legal imbroglio. 

But Mr. Salles’ hopes of a speedy resolution were left in tatters on Wednesday morning, when Federal Police agents turned up at the Environment Minister’s doorstep brandishing search and seizure warrants.

Law enforcement also targeted Mr. Salles’ key aides, as well business owners from the logging industry. Upon authorizing the search operations, the Supreme Court also ordered the suspension of Eduardo Bim, head of Brazil’s environmental protection agency Ibama. The investigation involves crimes such as corruption, influence peddling, misconduct in office, and facilitation of smuggling. 

In its warrant request to the Supreme Court, the Federal Police affirmed it had found BRL 14.1 million in suspicious financial transactions involving a law firm in which Ricardo Salles owns a 50-percent stake.

Investigation has origins in the U.S.

The investigation originated from a complaint made by the U.S. Embassy in January 2020. Along with a wealth of documentation, the diplomatic body also submitted samples of timber seized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) at the Port...