Transnational operations targeting illegal pesticide trade in Europe

Law enforcement agencies in South-Eastern Europe have joined forces to combat the alarming rise of illegal pesticide trafficking, which poses a severe threat to farmland, nature reserves, and potentially also consumer health.    

Europol's assistance has been instrumental in two major operations that have exposed the distribution of counterfeit pesticides and the illicit importation of banned substances.    

The first investigation focused on a company importing counterfeit pesticides from China, replicating the products of a well-known multinational company. These replicas closely resembled genuine products but contained higher quantities of the active ingredient Lambda-Cyhalothrin. These substances had already been banned within the European Union due to their high toxicity levels. Collaborating in this effort were the Italian Carabinieri Anti-Adulteration and Public Health Units (NAS), the Romanian National Police, and Eurojust.    

In a parallel operation, the Spanish Civil Guard and the Portuguese National Republican Guard targeted a Spanish company involved in the illegal importation of Portuguese pesticides banned in Spain. The suspects had imported over 12 tonnes of pesticides containing banned substances such as Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate insecticide banned in the EU since 2020. To mask their illicit activities, the Spanish company employed deceptive tactics, using registered product names and substances in Spanish databases to create the illusion of legality. They also acquired legal pesticides to camouflage the illegal ones.    

These operations mark significant efforts to combat the proliferation of illegal pesticides, with great commitment of law enforcement agencies to protect the environment and ensure the safety of our food production systems.          

Source:  

Europol