Illegal mining involves looting and ‘Frankenstein’ helicopter, says MPF

The alleged involvement of air taxi companies in illegal mining on indigenous land involves large transactions of money with undertakings for the extraction and sale of gold; cash withdrawals of expressive amounts; helicopter use which is a “true Frankenstein”; and creation of a message group between pilots for warnings about inspections.

These notes are made by the Federal Police and the MPF (Federal Public Ministry) in investigations that resulted in the blocking of assets, nine helicopters among them, of businessmen suspected of being part of a criminal organization for illegal exploitation of gold, environmental crimes and money laundering.

The blockade was determined by the Federal Court in Roraima.

The findings of the investigation were reported by the MPF to the TRF-1 (Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region), in the course of a habeas corpus filed in defense of the investigated businessmen.

The details of the charges are outlined in a document from the Regional Attorney’s Office for the 1st Region, completed on December 13.

The following day, the federal judge of TRF-1 Maria do Carmo Cardoso accepted the defense’s request, without citing the charges described by the Attorney General’s Office.

The judge of second instance granted a safe-conduct to two businessmen suspected of working in the logistics of illegal mining on the Yanomami land, the largest in Brazil. Thus, the two could not be arrested in the course of investigations.

The judge also ordered the release of 50% of the seized values ​​and assets, “so that [os investigados] can continue their financial activities”.

The lifting of the blockade of goods included aircraft suspected of being involved in the extraction of gold from Yanomami land.

The judge’s decision was revealed by the leaf this Wednesday (5th). Despite the evidence presented by the MPF, she stated that “there was no evidence of the risk of serious damage or difficult to repair” and that “there are elements of possible illegality in the chain of evidence”.

Maria do Carmo is called “Aunt Carminha” by the Bolsonaro family, with whom she is close. The judge is a friend of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and acts as a kind of legal advisor to the family.

She was decisive for the nomination of Nunes Marques, who worked in the TRF-1, to the chair of Minister of the STF (Supreme Federal Court).

An organizational chart reproduced by the MPF in the document sent to the TRF-1 shows transfers of ventures that explore gold to Rogério dos Santos, who would be associated with Tarp Táxi Aéreo, the target of investigations by the PF and MPF.

The company, according to the indictment, was used for illegal gold mining in Roraima and for money laundering resulting from this exploitation.

The organizational chart shows transfers from Ourominas, from São Paulo (R$ 1.35 million); from GG Travassos de Melo and Coopouro (Cooperativa dos Garimpeiros Mineradores e Produtores de Ouro do Tapajós), from Itaituba (PA), in the amounts of R$ 1.69 million and R$ 590.6 thousand, respectively; and Sierra Madre Metais, from São José do Rio Preto (SP), in the amount of R$ 759.1 thousand.

“The company is unaware of the investigated facts and does not use an air taxi company in its commercial activity. Commercial issues, in addition to having tax support, are subject to compliance and are protected by tax secrecy and LGPD [lei geral de proteção de dados]”, said Ourominas, in a note.

GG Travassos and Coopouro did not respond to the report’s messages. Sierra Madre Metais contacts could not be located.

Gana Gold Mineração and Coomari (Cooperativa Mineradora de Ariquemes, Rondônia) made transfers directly to Tarp, according to the organizational chart. The amounts were R$ 1.44 million and R$ 600 thousand, respectively.

“The mining company explores mining activities legally and contracting an air service company is part of its business activity, but rejects any connection between the company and illegal mining activity. The company is legally constituted and has more than 1,500 direct and indirect,” said Ghana Gold in a statement.

Coomari said it was unaware of the transfer of R$600,000 and the investigation by PF and MPF. “As soon as it becomes aware of the investigation, the necessary information will be provided to the competent authorities,” he said in a statement.

According to the MPF, there are indications that Tarp is a shell company, with a turnover of BRL 42 million between October 2019 and October 2020.

Businessman Rodrigo Martins de Mello, who got the injunction from Judge Maria do Carmo, is also pointed out as “very likely” one of those responsible for Tarp.

He is a partner at Cataratas Poços Artesianos, where helicopters were seized by Anac (National Civil Aviation Agency) in August, in Boa Vista, and at Icaraí Turismo Táxi Aéreo.

Tarp, Cataratas and Icaraí carried out millionaire transactions of funds between them, according to investigations. The transfers contemplated the owner of the companies.

From 2016 to 2018, Tarp received BRL 29.1 million from the federal government for transportation related to indigenous health. Cataratas received BRL 8.6 million between 2014 and 2018. And Icaraí received BRL 30.6 million between 2018 and September 2021.

The payments were revealed by the leaf in an article published on September 19.

The MPF stated that a prosecutor for Rodrigo Mello, Brunna Martins de Mello, made cash withdrawals from a bank in Roraima, between R$500,000 and R$400,000, in April 2020. The purpose of the withdrawals was “payments”, as reported to the bank.

The investigations pointed to the existence of a group of messages per application “to share information with several pilots about inspection activities by public agencies”.

The seized aircraft had “very serious irregularities”, according to the MPF, including the denial of air traffic by Anac.

The most serious situation is that of a helicopter registered in the name of the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, seized in the Anac operation in August. The existence of this aircraft, suspected of being involved in gold mining in Yanomami land, was revealed by the leaf.

“[A aeronave] underwent a process of cannibalism, having been classified by the police authority as ‘true Frankenstein’, insofar as it was formatted from the junction of the structure of several aircraft”, said a representation of PF and MPF.

In a note, the lawyer of the investigated, responsible for habeas corpus in the TRF-1, Ana Paula de Souza Cruz, said that the questions raised by the report concern an investigation in progress and in secrecy.

“Nothing can be addressed either by the police or the MPF or the lawyers or the parties,” she said.

Regarding habeas corpus, the lawyer said that the objective was “to put an end to the various illegalities that are being committed by the federal delegate responsible for the case, by Anac and by some IBAMA inspectors”.

The TRF-1’s decision is “technical, legal and correct” and is justified by grounds such as illegal evidence, violation of telephone content, alteration of public document and abuse of authority, Cruz said.

“There is no arrest of the businessman on indigenous land. No illegal ore was seized at the company or with him.”

The TRF-1 did not respond to questions in the report about Judge Maria do Carmo’s decision.