SÃO PAULO: Brazil's Supreme Court ordered an investigation of Environment Minister Ricardo Salles as police raided ministry offices on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila), targeting a timber trafficking scheme allegedly involving him and other top officials in far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's government. Brazilian Environment Minister Ricardo Salles is suspected of involvement in a trafficking ring that sold illegal timber on the black market, a Supreme Court ruling said as police raided various ministry offices on May 18, 2021. AFP FILE PHOTOBrazilian media reported police had searched Salles' home in São Paulo as part of the operation. Some 160 officers also raided environment ministry offices in Brasília, São Paulo and the northern state of Para, police said. Under the alleged scheme, Ibama waived requirements for timber exporters and granted retroactive authorization to thousands of wood shipments exported in violation of environmental regulations in 2019 and 2020.

Source: Manila Times May 20, 2021 17:15 UTC