According to the 2011 U.S. Department of State, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs' International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, $30 million was repatriated from Switzerland to Brazil in the Propinoduto case. (Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs' International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Vol. I (March 2011), at 154.) According to a Brazillian Justice Ministry statement, on November 26, 2009, the Brazilian Justice Minister announced that Switzerland had agreed to return $30 million to Brazil, and the only remaining issue was what tools of repatriation (bilateral convention or Merida treaty) but hoped to have money in Brazilian treasury by 2010. (Source: Noticias, Lavagem de Dinheiro, Ministerio da Justica, Brasil, "Brasil consegue repatriacao de cerca de U.S. $30 milhoes na Suica," November 26, 2009.) According to the press announcement, the investigation of the "Propinoduto" case began about 2003 and culminated in the conviction of several people who allegedly received kickbacks from companies in exchange for tax benefits. The Brazilian government opened investigations after detecting suspicious deposits in Swiss banks belonging to tax officials assigned to the Tax Administration of Rio de Janeiro. The money will be returned to the coffers of the Union, with the possibility of it being passed on to the government of Rio de Janeiro, according to the Ministry announcement.