News

7 Sawmills Formally Charged for Receiving Stolen Timber: First Time Legal Entities Face Charges

Sponsors

The High Complexity Prosecutor's Office of La Araucanía formally charged seven sawmills for the crime of receiving stolen goods, as part of an investigation into timber theft.

This marks the first time in Chile that legal entities have been charged for this type of crime. According to the Public Ministry, the investigation confirmed that during 2022, 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) purchased timber stolen from Forestal Mininco properties in the communes of Galvarino and Collipulli.

The timber was stolen by a criminal organization led by Miguel Terán Carrasco and Emanuel Espinoza Contreras, both currently sentenced to 5 years in prison for theft and criminal conspiracy to steal timber.

"The goal was to break the chain of criminal production—not only pursuing those who steal the timber but also those who buy it, knowing—or being unable to ignore—its illegal origin," explained Prosecutor Vásquez.

He added that the investigation identified 10 sawmills, seven of which have already been formally charged, while the remaining three will face charges soon.

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

Following the formal charges, six sawmill companies accepted a conditional suspension of proceedings, committing to collectively contribute over 80 million pesos to rural schools in the commune of Galvarino, benefiting children and adolescents in the area.

The only company that rejected the alternative resolution was PROMASA, which, according to the investigation, acquired over 2,300 m³ of stolen timber, worth more than $144 million.

In this case, the legal process continues. "We expect to file charges against them. Specifically, the investigation remains ongoing regarding the natural person who directly purchased the stolen timber, as well as the company that failed to take precautions to avoid committing the crime," the prosecutor noted.

Source:Emol.com