Brazilian police raid suspected chemical-spraying operation in the Amazon

Authorities in Brazil executed dozens of search warrants against a group accused of spraying chemicals to clear over 10,000 hectares of native forest in Pará for cattle pasture.

Brazilian law enforcement conducted a coordinated raid in São Paulo, executing 13 search warrants and imposing three precautionary measures against a network suspected of using chemicals to strip vegetation from more than 10,180 hectares of Amazon rainforest in Pará. The alleged scheme involved purchasing toxic agents, spraying them across the forest near Uruará, and then clearing the area for commercial cattle grazing.

No one was detained during the operation, but investigators indicated that those under probe could be charged with environmental offenses, illegal toxic substance use, fraud in environmental proceedings, and criminal conspiracy. While overall Amazon deforestation declined by 23.5% in 2025, nearly 290,000 hectares were still lost, with agriculture and cattle ranching accounting for the vast majority. Scientists warn that such degradation threatens the rainforest’s climate-regulating function, potentially accelerating global warming and affecting agriculture far beyond South America. The case underscores ongoing challenges in curbing illegal land-clearing practices despite recent progress.