More than 10 tons of illegal pesticides taken in Brazil in 2013

The police have taken more than 10 tons of illegal pesticides between the months of January and April in Brazil,reported by the local newspaper. The result represents an increase of 27.45% compared with the same period last year.

The largest operations were made in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, MatoGrosso, Parana, Sao Paulo, MatoGrosso do Sul and Rondania. Among the recalled products are forgery and racket.

Sindag (National Union of Pesticide Industry) explains that the "production offenses, transportation, purchase, sale and use of bootleg pesticides are considered crimes of tax evasion, smuggling and embezzlement, and they can also be covered by the Environmental Crimes Law (Law Nº 9605, of February 12th, 1988); smuggling or embezzlement (art. 334 of the Penal Code) and the Pesticide Law (Law 7.802/89)".

Over the past eleven years, when the national campaign started to fight illegal pesticides,500 tons have been taken away, and a thousand people arrested. The hotline (0800 940 7030) has received around 18,000 calls since 2001.