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Cancer Pesticides Smuggled Across US-Mexico Border
6 Sep
Summary
- A man was caught with 24 liters of banned Mexican pesticides.
- The banned pesticide contains amitraz, a cancer-causing ingredient.
- The suspect faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Juan Velderrain Perez, a 43-year-old Mexican national residing in San Diego, was apprehended last month at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Authorities discovered 24 liters of Mexican-label pesticides, identified as "Taktic," which are banned in the United States.
The active ingredient in "Taktic" is amitraz, a substance prohibited in the U.S. since at least 2019 due to its reproductive, developmental, and neurological risks, as well as long-term cancer concerns. Perez reportedly did not declare the chemicals and pleaded with border agents to avoid arrest.
He allegedly confessed to previous smuggling activities and expected payment upon delivery. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 15. Perez faces a potential sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. This case follows previous successful prosecutions of pesticide smuggling operations along the California-Mexico border.
