Baltimore City Wire

A New York business owner has been convicted for illegally transporting and selling an unregistered pesticide in Maryland. The conviction was announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron, and Special Agent in Charge Allison Landsman from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Criminal Investigation Division.

Idrissa Bagayoko, 58, who owns Maliba Trading LLC, was found guilty by a Baltimore jury on two counts related to his activities involving Sniper DDVP, an unregistered pesticide. The charges were filed under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Hazardous Material Transportation Act.

FIFRA regulates pesticide distribution and sale to ensure safety and accurate labeling in the United States. Under FIFRA, all pesticides must be registered with the EPA before they can be sold or distributed. Meanwhile, the Hazardous Material Transportation Act mandates that hazardous substances transported interstate must have proper shipping documentation.

Evidence presented at trial indicated that on September 29, 2021, Bagayoko drove from New York to Maryland to sell two boxes of Sniper DDVP. He was later stopped in Elkton, Maryland with 18 more boxes of this pesticide. The investigation showed he had obtained a total of 1,728 bottles of Sniper DDVP.

Lab tests confirmed each bottle contained dichlorvos, classified as a probable human carcinogen by the EPA. Bagayoko transported over 330 pounds of this chemical without necessary shipping papers required for handling such hazardous materials.

The illegal sale of an unregistered pesticide could result in up to one year in prison and a $25,000 fine. Transporting dichlorvos without proper documentation carries a potential five-year sentence and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Barron expressed gratitude towards Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Phillips and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kertisha Dixon and David Lastra for prosecuting the case. Thanks were also extended to Special Agent Christopher Michael from the EPA-CID and Special Agent Charles Bradford from the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General for their investigative work alongside Elkton Maryland Police Department.

For further details about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office or community resources available through them, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md or https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.