Mapa participates in joint operations to combat pesticide smuggling in three states

This week, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) participated in three operations to seize counterfeit and smuggled pesticides in conjunction with the Federal Police (PF), Federal Highway Police (PRF), São Paulo Civil Police (PC SP) in the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo. The actions aim to curb smuggling and the sale of irregular products in Brazil.

In the state of Mato Grosso, the action with the PRF seized 8 tons of pesticides of Chinese origin, without invoice, in a truck on BR-163, in Rondonópolis. The driver of the vehicle was arrested and must face charges of smuggling.

In Mato Grosso do Sul, Mapa worked together with the Federal Police in an operation launched to execute search and seizure warrants, following investigations into previously seized cargo containing pesticides with falsified labels. During the searches, gallons of chemical substances for forensic analysis were seized, among other materials.

In São Paulo, the joint action with the Civil Police and Ibama took place in Americana. At the site, 75 tons of smuggled pesticides were seized in packaging with modified labels and which would be transported to the states of Mato Grosso and Goiás. Among the pesticides collected was the herbicide Paraquat, which had its use banned in Brazil in 2020 as a result of a reevaluation. toxicology carried out by Anvisa.

During the inspection action in São Paulo, federal agricultural tax auditors assisted the work by analyzing suspected products in real time with NIR equipment, Near Infrared Spectrometer. The portable device allows preliminary results on pesticide samples to be obtained in just a few minutes. The approximate value of the seized products is estimated at R$43 million. Violators will be charged and will be held administratively liable.

As they are not registered on the Map, pesticides considered illegal pose a risk to agriculture due to the lack of origin and effectiveness of the product for controlling and combating pests. They also constitute a risk to the health of users, during the application of the product, and to food consumers due to exposure to unknown active ingredients and components, in addition to a risk to the environment, due to the exposure of fauna and flora to unknown chemical substances, which can cause deaths or serious damage to the environmental balance.