Operation Weak Meat

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Operation Weak Meat, or Carne Fraca, was a Brazilian police operation that began on March 17, 2017. The Federal Police investigated some of the country’s largest meat companies, especially JBS (brands Seara, Swift, Friboi, Vigor) and BRF (Sadia and Perdigão), for selling spoiled or adulterated meat and for altering inspections to hide the problem.

The investigation accused meat companies, some Ministry of Agriculture workers, and officials of taking bribes to keep the scheme going. In the first phase, more than 1,100 officers carried out 309 court orders across six states and the Federal District. Three meat plants were closed (BRF’s Mineiros in Goiás and Peccin plants in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Curitiba, Paraná). About 33 officials were suspended, with four dismissed. The police said the bribes reached political parties in the ruling coalition.

Phase 2, called Antidote, began on May 31, 2017. It focused on a former regional agriculture official in Goiás, Francisco Carlos de Assis, who was heard on tape discussing the destruction of evidence related to the case.

Phase 3, called Cheating, started on March 5, 2018. It targeted a fraud scheme at BRF and led to arrests, including former BRF president Pedro de Andrade Faria. Authorities carried out 91 court orders at BRF units, with potential charges including forgery, embezzlement, forming a criminal organization, and crimes against public health. Investigators found that several laboratories and internal testing departments had falsified results.

The scandal hurt Brazil’s meat industry’s image. On the day of the first phase, JBS and BRF shares fell sharply, and some advertising campaigns were paused as the public questioned meat safety. International media covered the story, and the European Union asked for clarifications about the investigations. Brazil’s Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi said some employees had deviated from their duties but that Brazilian meat remained safe.

It also emerged that the meat companies had donated large sums to politicians in the 2014 elections, with the biggest donors going to parties in the ruling coalition.

In mid-2017, officials tried to reassure international meat buyers that Brazilian meat was safe, even as new details about bribery and misconduct continued to come to light.