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Acoforag: "Those Who Profit from Stolen Timber Must Be Sanctioned"

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René Muñoz, manager of the Association of Forestry Contractors (Acoforag), while commending this investigation, stated that those responsible must face justice after 7 sawmills in the Bío Bío and La Araucanía regions were formally charged by the High Complexity Prosecutor's Office of La Araucanía for receiving stolen timber. The wood was stolen from Forestal Mininco estates in the communes of Galvarino and Collipulli.

"From the Association of Forestry Contractors, we believe it is good news that those companies or sawmills that profited from illegally obtained timber must face sanctions. Let us remember that timber theft was part—a significant part—of what funded terrorist groups that attacked forestry contractors," emphasized Muñoz.

The companies involved are Laminadora Los Ángeles S.A., Forestal Javier Pezoa EIRL, Inversiones Rayenco Ltda., Maderas Río Blanco SpA, Aserraderos Los Castaños Ltda., Servicios Forestales Rosario Ltda., and Procesadora de Madera Los Ángeles S.A. (PROMASA). During 2022, they allegedly received the illegally acquired raw material, with the natural persons who conducted the transactions on their behalf also being prosecuted.

The first six companies agreed to a conditional suspension of the proceedings, committing to contribute over 80 million pesos to rural schools in Galvarino. Meanwhile, the last company—which, according to the investigation, acquired more than 2,300 m³ of stolen timber, amounting to over $144 million—chose to let the legal process continue.

This is the first time in Chile that legal entities have been charged for this type of crime, the Prosecutor's Office noted. Miguel Terán Carrasco and Emanuel Espinoza Contreras, identified as leaders of the criminal organization, have already been sentenced to 5 years in prison for theft and criminal conspiracy related to timber theft.

"The goal was to break the chain of criminal production, pursuing not only those who steal the timber but also those who purchase it knowing—or being unable to ignore—its illicit origin," explained prosecutor Enrique Vásquez. He added that the investigation identified 10 companies, of which 7 have already been formally charged, and 3 will be charged soon.

Each company was charged alongside the natural person who, on its behalf, managed the timber purchase. "We are witnessing a significant milestone: this is the first formal charge against legal entities for a specific crime—in this case, receiving stolen goods," stated the prosecutor.

Regarding Promasa, he anticipated that "we expect to file charges against them. Specifically, the investigation continues concerning the natural person who directly purchased the stolen timber, as well as the company that failed to take precautions to avoid committing the crime."

Source:BiobioChile