Inea demolishes illegal house in Nova Friburgo preservation area

The State Environmental Institute (Inea) has demolished a two-story house in Nova Friburgo that was illegally constructed within a Permanent Preservation Area (APP) along the Curuzu Stream. The property, which included an underground garage, had been under an embargo for two years due to environmental degradation. Investigations revealed that the mandatory 30-meter protection buffer for the watercourse had been improperly reduced to just five meters by the former regional superintendency.

The demolition is part of a broader investigation into the Rio Dois Rios Regional Superintendency (SUPRID) regarding irregularities occurring between 2019 and 2024. Authorities are reviewing environmental licenses issued during this period, with over 100 licenses already canceled and approximately 900 others under analysis.

The investigation, which includes oversight from the Public Ministry, is looking into allegations of corruption, including the illegal sale of environmental licenses, unauthorized use of vehicles, and the receipt of undue advantages. Some estimates suggest that illicit payments related to these irregularities could reach R$ 20 million.