Brazil Senate approves harsher penalties for fuel and petroleum theft

The Brazilian Senate has approved Bill PL 1482/2019, which increases penalties for the theft and robbery of petroleum, natural gas, biofuels, and lubricants. The legislation targets products stolen from production, storage, or transport facilities, including pipelines and various transport vehicles.

Under the new rules, fuel theft can result in 4 to 10 years of imprisonment and fines. Penalties may increase by one-third if the crime involves breaking obstacles or multiple participants, and by up to two-thirds if the act causes supply shortages, fires, environmental damage, or death. The bill also establishes punishments for the entire supply chain, targeting those who acquire, transport, store, or sell products known to be stolen, with sentences reaching up to 8 years.

Proponents, including Senator Randolfe Rodrigues and the Instituto Combustível Legal (ICL), argue the measure is essential to dismantle the economic structures of organized crime. By penalizing the commercialization and logistics of illicit fuels, the law aims to protect critical infrastructure, prevent environmental contamination, and secure investments in the energy sector.