POLICE INVESTIGATE LAND GRABBING IN THE PANTANAL
A Federal Police operation is investigating the illegal occupation (land grabbing) of federal lands in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul. The suspects allegedly concealed the origin of the lands in official records and, through the supposed payment of bribes to public officials, obtained possession of the properties.
Police executed 10 search and seizure warrants in luxury condominiums in Campo Grande and one in Rio Brilhante (located 164 km from the state capital).
Luxury cars, watches, and approximately US$105,000 in cash were seized. The assets of those involved were frozen in the amount of US$530,000 for potential restitution.
The lands acquired by the suspects are part of the Pantanal do Rio Negro State Park, an environmental preservation area between the municipalities of Corumbá and Aquidauana. Some of the lands are located near the border.
According to the Federal Police, the scheme operated as follows: if no one identified the public origin of the land, the title was illegally finalized. If the fraud was detected during the process, it was canceled on the grounds of irregularities, citing errors in the recognition of land ownership.The fraud involved the issuance and sale of CRAs (Environmental Reserve Quotas) or TCRAE (State Environmental Reserve Quota Titles).
The investigation is looking into a collusion between local ranchers and businesspeople with state public officials to forge documents and insert them into administrative titling processes.
Among the suspects are partners in a topography and engineering firm in Campo Grande, a cattle rancher, and current and former employees of Agraer (Agency for Agrarian Development and Rural Extension of Mato Grosso do Sul), the state body responsible for rural land regularization.
The Mato Grosso do Sul state government stated that it is monitoring and cooperating with the Federal Police's actions and affirmed that it will take the necessary measures against those under suspicion to uphold transparency and integrity in all public acts.
The suspects deny any involvement in wrongdoing.