Mato Grosso police investigate deviations and frauds in soybean cargoes

The Mato Grosso Civil Police, through the Rondonopolis robbery and theft division and the state’s anti-organized crime task force, launched the “Grains of Sand” operation on the morning of July 28, acting on 88 lawsuits aimed at dismantling a criminal organization tampering with soybeans in the state’s southern region. The group placed sand in cargoes of grains bound to China, in BRL 22 million worth of operations in just three months.

The operation involves 25 preventive arrest warrants and 32 home search and seizure warrants, in addition to 31 orders for confiscation of goods. The warrants issued by the 7th Criminal Court of Cuiabá are carried out in the cities of Rondonópolis, Pedra Preta, Diamantino, and Cuiabá.

Third phase

This operation results from the third phase of the investigation initiated by the Rondonópolis police in March 2021, when ten people were arrested for receiving, stealing, and tampering with shipments of soybeans, soy bran, and corn.

At the time, the criminal group was caught with a load of soybean meal valued at more than R$ 130 thousand. The intention was to transform the stolen cargo into several other adulterated shipments that would be delivered to the Rondonópolis rail cargo terminal.

Investigations

The existence of a criminal organization comprised of grain transport and trade business people, agents, truck drivers, and employees of the victim company – the Rondonópolis railway terminal – totaling 30 people involved in the practice of crimes classified as theft, embezzlement, and criminal association was discovered as the investigation progressed.

Investigations showed that the group has been operating in Rondonópolis since 2020, with a deviation of approximately 9 thousand tonnes of soybeans and soybean meal between January and March 2021, worth nearly R$ 22.5 million.

Companies involved in the transport and trading of grains were set up to carry out the transportation, adulteration of cargo, and subsequent sale of the diverted items – eight legal entities were identified as involved in this scam.

Source: Valor Econômico

To read the full original article, please go to: https://valor.globo.com/agronegocios/noticia/2022/07/28/megaoperacao-investiga-desvios-e-fraudes-em-cargas-de-soja-em-mato-grosso.ghtml

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