Bruno Heller (por seu advogado, Vinícius Segatto Jorge da Cunha)

A defesa de Bruno Heller e Tatiana Heller, patrocinada pelo advogado Vinícius Segatto Jorge da Cunha, esclarece que os fatos ventilados na investigação em andamento são sigilosos. A defesa também reforça que trata-se de um grupo familiar que desde os anos 70 exercem a posse mansa, livre e pacífica da propriedade rural familiar situada no Estado do Pará.

Bruno e Tatiana trabalham e empreendem de modo autônomo e independente entre si na lavoura e no ramo da pecuária, contribuindo junto aos demais membros familiares ao desenvolvimento econômico da área de Novo Progresso e Altamira. Por fim, a defesa reitera que todas as circunstâncias abordadas já estão sendo devidamente elucidadas perante as autoridades e os órgãos competentes.

Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department

Questions sent 5/2/2024:

1. The amount of frozen meat seized during anti-smuggling operations in 2021, 2022, and 2023? (Specifically meat going from Hong Kong to mainland China.)

2. The value of frozen meat seizures in 2021, 2022, and 2023? (Specifically meat going from Hong Kong to mainland China.)

3. The breakdown of types of meat product intercepted in 2021, 2022 and 2023? (Specifically meat going from Hong Kong to mainland China.)

Response received 9/2/2024: 

Hong Kong Customs is the primary agency responsible for the suppression of smuggling activities.  By adopting an intelligence-led and effective risk management strategy, Customs officers conduct checks on passengers, cargoes, postal packets and conveyances at various control points and sea boundary to combat smuggling of any prohibited or controlled items into or out of Hong Kong.

Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Following please find figures of illegal frozen meat export detected by Customs from 2021 to 2023:

Customs will continue to combat smuggling activities with stringent enforcement actions. Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account ([email protected]).

Follow-up sent 14/2/2024:

I have asked again for records of types of meat product seized, as well as their origin. I have also sent the same questions to the Hong Kong Police Force and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. 

1. Does Customs keep records of the types of illegal frozen meat product intercepted by the department? If so, could you provide a breakdown of type of meat (i.e. beef, chicken, pork) and type of product (i.e. offal)?

2. Does Customs keep records of the origin of the illegal frozen meat product intercepted by the department? If so, could you provide a list of countries from which the illegal exports originated?

3. How many convictions have there been as a result of the operations detailed in your previous email?

Response received 19/2/2024: 

(I received a call from the department soon after submitting my follow-up questions to say they could not answer questions 1 and 2, and could only send over the number of people arrested, not convictions.) 

The number of persons arrested for illegal frozen meat export by Customs from 2021 to 2023 is tabulated below: