ANP Stands By Shutdown of Refit’s Manguinhos Plant as Company Challenges Lab Findings

Overview

• Refit says ANP reports assessed only distillation curves and ignored required parameters such as octane, hydrocarbon composition, density and sulfur limits, and it plans to contest the findings before regulators and in court.
• The agency ordered the precautionary interdiction on Sept. 26 after an inspection cited signs of importing nearly finished fuels, lack of proof of actual refining, use of unauthorized tanks and other operational and safety issues.
• Refit filed a criminal complaint against ANP directors Pietro Mendes and Symone Christine de Santana Araújo, requesting a Federal Police investigation for alleged abuse of authority and prevarication.
• Regulators collected more than 100 fuel samples for laboratory analysis, and authorities tightened documentation for nafta imports as part of the broader tax and fuel-fraud probe.
• The company argues it complied with all demands, warns of risks to about 2,500 workers and says it implemented additional controls and documentation while seeking a meeting to overturn the suspension.