Geospatial Technology Helps in the Fight Against Environmental Crimes in Brazil

The size and complexity of the Brazilian territory, especially in the Amazon region, make it highly challenging for institutions such as the Federal Police to respond quickly and effectively to environmental crimes and other illicit activities.

That’s why the Brasil MAIS Program, one of the Ministry of Justice and Public Safety's (MJSP) strategic initiatives and the largest remote sensing operational project in Brazil, was established. Through this program, agencies are able to gain access to Planet’s daily satellite imagery and change-detection alerts from SCCON. Access to this data allows Brazilian public institutions to investigate and fight against environmental crimes and other illicit activities in a faster, more efficient, and safer way.

Download the full case study to learn how over 3,300 public agents were mobilized in over 120 joint operations to use satellite imagery and data from the project to collect over $ 1.9 billion / R$ 9.6 billion from fines, seized goods, and the freezing of assets.