BALTIMORE U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron stated that Idrissa Bagayoko, 58, owner of Maliba Trading LLC, was found guilty in federal court of selling an unlicensed pesticide and carelessly carrying a likely carcinogen without the required paperwork.
Due to his involvement in the distribution and transportation of Sniper DDVP, an unregistered pesticide that contained dichlorvos, a chemical that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified as a probable human carcinogen, Bagayoko was found guilty by a Baltimore jury of violating both the Hazardous Material Transportation Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).
On September 29, 2021, Bagayoko drove from New York to Maryland and sold two boxes of Sniper DDVP to a Maryland consumer, according to prosecution testimony. Police found 18 more cartons of the pesticide in Bagayoko’s car during a follow-up traffic stop in Elkton, Maryland. Bagayoko was found to have purchased 1,728 vials of Sniper DDVP and transported over 330 pounds of the dangerous chemical without the necessary shipping documents.
In order to guarantee safety and proper labeling, federal law requires all pesticides marketed or distributed in the United States be registered with the EPA. In order to notify first responders of potential hazards in the case of an accident, hazardous materials moved in interstate commerce must also be appropriately documented.
According to U.S. Attorney Barron, this case emphasizes how crucial it is to enforce federal laws intended to shield the public from harmful and unregulated chemicals.
Selling an unregistered pesticide has a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fee of $25,000, while illegally transporting hazardous goods carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The Elkton Police Department, the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, and the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division all looked into the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kertisha Dixon and David Lastra, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Phillips, prosecuted the case.
The federal government’s dedication to safeguarding public health and safety through the regulation of pesticides and dangerous materials is demonstrated by Bagayoko’s conviction.
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