Brazil’s federal police indict 20 in connection with salt mine catastrophe in country’s northeast

Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s federal police have indicted 20 people for rock salt mining in the northeastern coastal city of Maceio that destroyed five urban neighborhoods and forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes. The charges Friday include damage to public property and environmental crimes. A police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirms to The Associated Press that those indicted were employees or contractors of Braskem, one of the biggest petrochemical companies in the Americas. In a statement to The Associated Press, Braskem said it had not yet reviewed the full police report and therefore would not comment on the individuals indicted who were connected to the company.