Cláudio Castro is the target of the second phase of Operation No Refining

A Polícia Federal deflagrou nesta sexta-feira (14) a segunda fase da Operação Sem Refino, que tem como um dos alvos o ex-governador do Rio de Janeiro Cláudio Castro. Nesta etapa, estão sendo apuradas fraudes na concessão de licenças ambientais para uma refinaria, além de indícios de lavagem de dinheiro relacionada ao esquema investigado.

Sixteen search and seizure warrants are being executed in Rio de Janeiro, by order of the Supreme Federal Court (STF). According to the Federal Police, the operation also investigates suspected crimes of fraudulent and reckless management, tax evasion, currency evasion, market manipulation, crimes against the economic order, and irregularities in the commercialization of fuels.

The new phase of Operation No Refining is an offshoot of the first phase, launched in May of this year by the Federal Police, when it began investigating the activities of an economic group in the fuel sector suspected of benefiting Refit, formerly Manguinhos Refinery.

In a note signed by lawyer Carlo Luchione, the defense of Cláudio Castro denied any participation in irregularities involving Refit and says that the address targeted by searches in Petrópolis has had no connection with the former governor for months.

The defense is still unaware of the full content of the complaint and the elements that formed the basis of the operation and awaits for the lawyers to have access to the case files to manifest in a more detailed manner. The note also says that all acts performed by Castro during his administration followed technical, legal, and administrative criteria provided for in the legislation.