Brasília, March 12, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Ibama (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) made the first big apprehension of wood this year, in Pará. Inspectors who work for the agency seized two barges containing 900 cubic meters of wood cut into 10 thousand railroad ties. According to Ibama's Press Office, the cargo was being transported along the right bank of the Marguari River, in the municipality of Marituba, part of the metropolitan area of Belém.

The wood, which would be used on railroad tracks in the region, had no proof of origin. The companies were filed R$ 90 thousand, and the confiscated wood was placed under judicial custody, as determined by the Law on Environmental Crimes.

On Tuesday (9), Ibama inspectors discovered two clandestine sawmills in the municipality of Acará, also in the state of Pará. The sawmills were installed for the illegal extraction of massaranduba and tauri wood.

At the beginning of the month, Ibama managed to prevent the exportation of a mahogany shipment that was being embarked to the British Virgin Islands, in the Caribbean. Since 2001 the government has prohibited the extraction, commercialization, and exportation of mahogany. Ibama considers this incident an indication that the mahogany mafia continues acting through new firms.

Information provided by the Ibama. (DAS)