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A New York business owner has been sentenced to supervised release and home confinement for illegally transporting and selling an unregistered pesticide containing a chemical classified as a probable human carcinogen. The sentencing follows a federal jury conviction and underscores growing concerns over the unlawful distribution of toxic substances.
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Idrissa Bagayoko, 59, of New York City, received a sentence of one year of supervised release, including three months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay $5,640 in restitution. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett in Baltimore, comes after a November 2024 trial in which Bagayoko was found guilty of violating both the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Hazardous Material Transportation Act.
According to evidence presented in court, Bagayoko, the owner of Maliba Trading LLC, drove from New York to Maryland in September 2021 to sell SNIPER DDVP, a pesticide that is unregistered and contains dichlorvos, a chemical labeled by federal agencies as a probable carcinogen. He sold two boxes of the product in Takoma Park and was later stopped by police in Elkton, Maryland, while transporting an additional 18 boxes. In total, authorities determined he had acquired 1,920 bottles of SNIPER DDVP for illegal distribution.
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The pesticide’s chemical contents posed serious safety risks, particularly due to the absence of required hazardous materials documentation. Federal guidelines mandate that shipping papers accompany the transport of toxic substances to ensure emergency responders are adequately informed in case of an accident. Bagayoko not only failed to comply with these regulations but also misled local law enforcement, claiming he was transporting tea. Testing confirmed he was carrying over 330 pounds of dichlorvos.
Bagayoko’s prosecution was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, and the Elkton Police Department. Federal officials emphasized the case as a clear warning to others handling dangerous materials without following proper legal protocols.
Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland
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