The Cumaru Maderas SAC company began activities in 2021, and quickly, between 2022 and 2023, registered 16 wood exports to different countries, including the United States, France, Belgium, Vietnam and China. After a long process of monitoring and verification, the authorities have determined that Cumaru Maderas was the front for an organization that “laundered” timber species obtained from illegal logging in Peruvian forests.
But the trail began in Bolivia, where it was detected that traffickers from that country were sending shipments to Cumaru Maderas, whose directors and executives were in charge of validating their origin with false documents for subsequent export.
In a joint operation that was carried out on Sunday, October 27 simultaneously in Madre de Dios, Cusco and Loreto, 15 alleged members of ‘Los Villanos de Tahuamanu’ were arrested, whom the authorities attribute to having conspired to export wood of illegal origin. . They are charged with the crimes of criminal organization, corruption of officials and illegal timber trafficking.
A former prosecutor with political ties has been identified among those arrested. The development of the investigation determined that the wood trafficked by the organization came from illegal logging in Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, and that in order to launder it, the organization had created a new modality that also allowed them to evade taxes.
The raid on ‘Los Villanos de Tahuamanu’ was directed by the Corporate Prosecutor’s Office Specialized in Corruption Crimes of Officials of Madre de Dios, with the participation of the High Complexity Investigation Division (Diviac), and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), because part of the shipment of illegal wood entered the United States.
Former prosecutor. José Araujo Quiña was dismissed from the Public Ministry for misconduct.
The mechanics of corruption
‘The Villains of Tahuamanu’ paid deductions of 4% that are required so that the wood can be moved from the storage point to any point in the country, without paying the 18% of the legal tax.
The deduction is a payment commitment allowed by the State, which consists of the merchant only paying 4% and agreeing that once the wood is sold, he will make the payment of the missing 14% to complete the 18% of the tax. The organization used third parties to help them generate paperwork and deduction accounts, and thus move the wood out of Madre de Dios, and sell it, evading the payment of the 18% tax. As if that were not enough, at the end of the year they requested a refund of the taxes.
During the “Reforestation 2024” operation, 22 properties were raided and 15 people were seized, accused of being members of ‘Los Villanos de Tahuamanu’. Among these, for the authorities, the most relevant is the former prosecutor and former advisor to Congress José Araujo Quiña.
On June 14, 2017, the then National Council of the Judiciary (CNM), dismissed José Araujo Quiña as provisional provincial prosecutor of the Second Corporate Criminal Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of the Province of Tambopata, Fiscal District of Madre de Dios, for two serious facts: not having formalized a criminal complaint against two defendants for money laundering related to illegal mining and for having returned gold of illegal origin to the Royal Gold Company for a value greater than S/1 million.
Counselor from the darkness
Despite his background – or, probably, because of it – José Araujo was hired as an advisor by Fuerza Popular congressman Modesto Figueroa Minaya, who also faced investigations for his alleged links to illegal mining.
The authorities explained that José Araujo was the one who illegally obtained the Forest Transport Guides, documents that allowed ‘Los Villanos de Tahuamanu’ to declare and transport the wood extracted from unauthorized areas and then export them.
With this modality, the 15 detainees made exports of more than S/1 million 750,000 between 2022 and 2023 in the name of the company Cumaru Maderas SAC.
However, judicial wiretaps applied to members of ‘Los Villanos de Tahuamanu’ indicate that they could have exported much more wood of illegal origin through other front companies.
Elizabeth Palomino, designated as leader of the organization
Maneuver to escape
Former prosecutor José Araujo Quiña has appealed the judicial resolution of preliminary detention for 10 days, claiming innocence. He claims that the charges are unfounded.
However, judicial telephone interceptions, as well as the statements of an effective collaborator, show that José Arauco was in charge of obtaining false guides for the illegal wood he purchased, which were “laundered” through his sawmill Corporación J&D Maderas EIRL. According to the sources consulted, José Araujo made calls to third parties asking them to obtain false guides. Then he contacted Viviana Albitres Castilla, representative of Cumaru Maderas SAC, whose function was to export the wood of illegal origin “laundered” by ‘Los Villanos de Tahuamanu’.
Elizabeth Palomino Sotelo, considered one of the organization’s principals, was also arrested in the operation. She was in charge of finding intermediaries to obtain forest transportation guides. Elizabeth Palomino convinced loggers with little training to take out their deductions account at the Banco de la Nación and simulate a fictitious sale, which was replaced by illegal timber.
Assistance from the United States government, through Interpol, facilitated the global sharing of data and intelligence for national authorities.
During the wiretaps, the members of the organization mentioned on several occasions the export of illegal wood to the United States, but in the records of the National Superintendence of Tax and Customs Administration (Sunat) the company Cumaru Maderas SAC, used by the accused. This means that it is very likely that they have appealed to other paper companies to ship illegal wood to the northern country.
Accomplice. Yoni Puma Quispe provided blank papers.
Strong influence on Madre de Dios
● Of the 15 detained for being part of ‘Los Villanos de Tahuamanu’, 12 have appealed for preliminary detention, among them, former prosecutor José Araujo Quiña.
● According to sources related to the case, Araujo has strong influence among the authorities of Madre de Dios and could be released.
● They indicated that the wife of former prosecutor José Araujo Otilia Acuña Nava was a judge in Madre Dios and knows the magistrates who will hear her spouse’s case.
● The appeal of José Araujo’s arrest will precisely be resolved by a panel made up of judges with whom Otilia Acuña worked, according to sources linked to the investigation into ‘Los Villanos de Tahuamanu’.
DETAINED:
Elizabeth Palomino Lopez
Betxy Villarroel Panduro
Charles Pita Pastor
Edinson Upiachihua Siquihua
Maribel Santa Cruz Challco
Albino Flores Lopez
Josmell Echegaray López
Raúl Vargas Racua
José Araujo Quiña
Robin Chamaro Tububay
Sofia Paredes Dueñas
Yoni Puma Quispe
Claudio Castillo Quispe
Victor Zeballos Mozombite
Constantino Torres Cuevas
