Bolivian Wood Shipment Cleared After Tests Disprove Controlled Substance Contamination

A significant shipment of Bolivian wood, detained at Viru Viru airport in Santa Cruz since June, has been released after scientific analyses conclusively ruled out the presence of controlled substances. The company responsible for the export, Importadora y Exportadora Liguria, stated that the cargo was subsequently sent to the United States, where it also passed through control filters without incident.

Andrés Pucci, the general manager of Liguria, announced that technical report 792-2026 confirmed that all samples taken from the wood shipment did not contain any controlled substances. Despite the clearance, Pucci highlighted the severe economic and reputational consequences the company endured due to what he described as an "anticipatory conviction." Liguria emphasized that it has not received any formal accusations of illicit activity.

The detention originated from a broader operation involving raids on sawmills across several Bolivian departments. This operation was reportedly initiated following the detection of alleged large quantities of cocaine and ketamine chemically impregnated in Bolivian wood destined for Chilean ports. However, subsequent analyses in Brazil and Chile had already cast doubt on these initial findings, leading to controversy between the countries.

Pucci stressed the need for objective and scientifically rigorous investigations, respecting chain of custody and reasonable timelines. He pointed out that the Bolivian forestry sector supports over 90,000 direct and 210,000 indirect jobs, with his company alone providing livelihoods for 120 people. Liguria opened its industrial plant to the media to showcase its production processes and present official documentation, aiming to counter the negative impact of the incident.