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Workers in Brazil's poor north-eastern state of �ʾ�����í rely on harvesting wax from carnauba palm trees to earn a living.

Seven cars are driving in convoy across �ʾ�����í's arid landscape known as the Caatinga - sparse, often thorny vegetation on dusty, dry land.

Carnauba palm trees are scattered all over �ʾ�����í, the world's biggest producer of the wax, and several neighbouring states.

"The companies we investigate that transform the carnauba powder into wax and sell it to the multinationals, I guarantee you that despite signing social responsibility commitments, they don't care like they should," says Federal Police investigator Milena Caland, who is based in �ʾ�����í.

The Transnordestina was designed to carry commodities like soy, corn, iron ore and gypsum from the state of Piaui north to the northern port of Pecem and east to the port of Suape.