<p>RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s Federal Police on Wednesday carried out searches to investigate whether key figures within the Environment Ministry, including Minister Ricardo Salles, facilitated illegal timber exports to the U.S. and Europe.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court authorized the search of nearly three dozen locations in Sao Paulo state, the Amazonian state of Para and Brazil’s federal district, according to a police statement. </p>
<p>The operation stems from a decision of the court’s Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered the investigation of 10 officials at the ministry and the regulatory agency, the Environment and Natural Resources Insttitute.</p>
<p>Nine of them were preventatively suspended from working, including Institute President Eduardo Bim — but not Salles — according to a copy of de Moraes’ May 13 decision made public on Wednesday. He wrote that there appeared to be a contraband scheme with Salles’ involvement.</p>
<p>The ministry and regulator didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.</p>
<p>Salles this year began talks with officials from the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, who has directly called on Brazil to curb <a href="https://apnews.com/article/brazil-deforestation-forests-environment-and-nature-517b7c5ae7846ab1658a069b2e7cda42"> rising Amazon deforestation</a>. Foreign investors, particularly based in Europe, had already begun <a href="https://apnews.com/article/4f1a97201474724c1c80f34ea0e704e4"> expressing greater concern</a>. Officials and activists are watching closely for signs of whether <a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-brazil-deforestation-climate-b25195150ea4c20343e4c61581341624">recent signals from Bolsonaro’s administration</a> that it wants to take stronger action amounts to more than lip service.</p>
<p>The justice’s decision also granted police access to the confidential banking records of Salles and others under investigation, from January of 2018 until May 12.</p>
<p>Salles’ private residence in Sao Paulo and the Environment Ministry offices were among the locations police searched, local media reported. Newspaper O Globo reported Salles was seen entering the federal police headquarters in capital Brasilia on Wednesday accompanied by his lawyer. </p>
<p>Police said in their statement that investigations began in January, and potential crimes include corruption, facilitation of contraband and sponsoring private interests while working as a public servant. </p>
