The son of one of two dead foresters takes over the post in the IKEA forest under an order of silence

Two Agent Green investigators in front of the cross of forester Costică Gorcioaia, found dead on 3 July 2026 in the Humosu forest, Iași County, owned by Ingka Investments (IKEA). Seven years earlier, his brother, Radu Gorcioaia, had been killed by a timber thief. Today, Costică’s son works in the same forest, in his father’s post. In front of our cameras, a superior asks him not to answer the investigators’ questions. Two tragedies in a single family. And questions still awaiting answers.

Bucharest, 9 November 2026 - Agent Green and Bruno Manser Fonds are today launching episode 2 of the series “IKEA: Putredă din rădăcini” (“IKEA: Rotten From the Roots”), about the tragedy of the Gorcioaia family and the destruction in the Humosu forest, Iași County, owned by Ingka Investments, part of the IKEA system, in the European Natura 2000 protected areas “Dealul Mare-Hârlău” and “Dorohoi-Șaua Bucecei”. Two forester brothers have died: Radu, killed by a timber thief in 2019, and Costică, found dead at Humosu on 3 July 2026. Costică’s son has taken over his father’s post, but a superior stops him, in front of the cameras, from answering the investigators. Through footage, forestry documents and official responses, the organisations denounce the destruction of a forest protected on paper, timber transports with irregularities and undeclared work, calling for inspections, remedial measures and clarification of the circumstances of Costică’s death.

The Agent Green investigators had gone to Humosu to talk to Costică Gorcioaia. All they found was his cross. Between two of the team’s trips, the forester had died. On their return, they met his son, who was now working in the same forest, in his father’s post.

The young man talks about the transports and about the people working without protective equipment. A phone call, however, interrupts his explanations: he is asked to wait for the reply of the head of the forest district and is told that, until then, he is not authorised to answer questions. The scene appears in the episode.

The Labour Inspectorate (ITM) investigated the death, but does not disclose what it found

IPJ Iași (the Iași County Police Inspectorate), in letter no. 267.214/11.09.2026, confirms the criminal case for negligent homicide. At the date of the reply, the investigation was continuing under the supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Pașcani Court of First Instance. The police refuse to give further details, citing the non-public nature of the criminal investigation.

ITM Iași (the Iași Territorial Labour Inspectorate), in letter no. 17785/SSM/14.09.2026, confirms that it investigated the incident and that the file was endorsed by the Labour Inspection. However, it does not disclose the conclusions, any violations found or sanctions, even though Agent Green had explicitly requested this information. The organisation had also asked whether the safety rules had been observed when loading the timber.

The documents provided do not establish any liability of the company for Costică’s death. The opening of a criminal case does not prove guilt, and his death must not be confused with the killing of his brother in 2019.

In the same forest, centuries-old trees felled and people without protection

Humosu lies within the Natura 2000 sites “Dealul Mare-Hârlău” and “Dorohoi-Șaua Bucecei”. The three harvesting permits analysed (acte de punere în valoare) provide for 5,486.06 m³ of timber, in stands with an average age of 130 years. The documentation shows soil destruction, trees left standing but injured by logging, compromised regeneration and areas invaded by black locust. Agent Green is calling for verification of compliance with the conservation conditions and with the April–July work restrictions.

The complaint lists 12 transport notices with reported irregularities: partial photographs, missing or straight-line routes and data transmission problems. On the timber platform, the investigators film people using chainsaws and loading timber without adequate protective equipment. Checks are requested on undeclared work and on the tax registration of the activities. During the conversation, the forest district representative announces a temporary halt to on-site sales, until a solution is found.

Complaints, confirmed procedures and responses still awaited

On 7 October, Agent Green notified the Ministry of the Environment, the Forest and Environmental Guards, ANMAP (the National Agency for Protected Natural Areas), ITM Iași and Antifrauda Suceava. ANAF (the National Agency for Fiscal Administration) replied that it is assessing the tax risk and that, where appropriate, it will carry out checks, also citing tax secrecy. The letter does not confirm that an inspection was carried out or that a sanction was imposed.

Bruno Manser Fonds also filed a complaint with Soil Association Certification, with copies to ASI and FSC International, concerning certificate FSC-C131270. Independent field checks and a reassessment of whether the certification should be maintained are requested. The complaint is not equivalent to a sanction already adopted.

“We are not asking for sustainability statements. We are asking to find out what happened to a man who died in the forest, whether the people working there today are protected and who is responsible for the documented destruction. A phone call that stops the answers is no substitute for explanations. No certificate is a substitute for a forest,” says Gabriel Păun, founder and president of Agent Green.

Agent Green is calling for the conclusions of the ITM investigation to be communicated within the limits of the law, for inspections of the reported irregularities and for public explanations from Ingka. The Sunday launch was chosen by the public; the full report will be published at the end of the series.

In the previous episode, Agent Green investigators exposed the logging of a natural forest with an average age of 186 years, owned by Ingka Investments in the Natura 2000 protected area “Masivul Ceahlău”. Agent Green investigators captured centuries-old trees felled, severely degraded soils, tractor tracks opened through the bed of the Slatina stream and timber transports with irregularities. Following the complaints, the National Environmental Guard fined the owner Ingka 50,000 lei for failing to comply with the obligation to revise the forest management plan, and the Police fined the transporter 1,000 lei for non-compliant photographs in the traceability system.

YouTube playlist - all episodes.

Press contact: office@agentgreen.org