Court Accepts Charges against 59 in Weak Flesh investigation

04/26/2017 - 12h23

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JOSÉ MARQUES

FROM CURITIBA

The Federal Court of Paraná accepted charges against 59 of the 60 suspects in Operation "Carne Fraca" (Weak Flesh investigation), which investigated a scheme of fraud and corruption in Brazilian meat producers.

The decision was made by Judge Marcos Josigrei da Silva, of the 14th Federal Court of Curitiba. According to him, 24 of the 60 suspects are still in preventive detention.

According to the indictment, the scheme in Paraná was headed by the former federal superintendent of the Ministry of Agriculture in the State Daniel Gonçalves Filho and the head of the Sector of Inspection of Products of Animal Origin, Maria do Rocio Nascimento.

Other agricultural inspectors appointed as participants in the irregularities maintained direct contact with the pair, who, according to the Attorney General, led the gang. Likewise, representatives of the companies involved acted to maintain the operation of the scheme.

According to the indictment, the irregularities practiced include the sale of health certificates and the payment of bribes to inspectors and inspection agents so that some companies could continue to act illegally.

The Federal Police are still investigating other suspects of involvement with crimes within the framework of the operation.

Josigrei da Silva called for the defendants to be summoned and answer to Justice in ten days. The defendants have denied irregularities.

Translated by MARINA DELLA VALLE

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