Brazil Senate pushes tougher penalties for fuel theft and illicit trade

The Senate's Committee on Infrastructure approved a bill that raises prison terms for theft, robbery and receipt of illicit fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, ethanol and biofuels. The proposed penalties increase theft sentences to four‑to‑ten years (from one‑to‑six), boost robbery terms by one‑third to one‑half, and set three‑to‑eight years for buying, selling or storing fuel known to be illegal, with a doubled commercial interdiction period. Aggravating factors – including damage, fire, pollution, supply disruption or bodily injury – trigger additional sentence increases of up to two‑thirds.

Senator Jaime Bagattoli (RO) highlighted a recent rise in fuel‑theft incidents, noting a pipeline breach in the Federal District and reporting that cases rose from 25 in 2024 to 31 in 2025. Senators Sergio Moro and Marcos Rogério warned that organized crime drives the crime and that higher penalties aim to protect poorer consumers from rising fuel prices. The measure, originally presented by deputy Juninho do Pneu (PSDB‑RJ), now moves to the Committee on Public Security for further review.