San Diego Man Arrested at Otay Mesa Border with Banned Cancer-Risk Pesticides

Juan Velderrain Perez, 43, was caught smuggling 24 liters of banned pesticides at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

Mexican Citizen Nabbed at California Border with Banned Pesticides

A Mexican citizen residing in San Diego was apprehended last month at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry carrying 24 liters of pesticides banned in the United States, NY Post Metro reports.

Juan Velderrain Perez, 43, did not declare the chemicals when stopped at the US-Mexico border crossing near San Diego. According to the criminal complaint, he then asked a border agent not to report him before allegedly admitting to previous smuggling runs and to expecting payment upon delivery.

The pesticides, sold under the label "Taktic," contain the active ingredient amitraz, which the Environmental Protection Agency has banned since at least 2019. The chemical is linked to reproductive, developmental and neurological harm, as well as long-term cancer risks.

Perez appeared in federal court following his arrest. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 15. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Prosecutors have pursued similar cases along the California-Mexico border before. In 2022, Sofia Mancera Morales was convicted of directing couriers to transport concentrated Taktic and Bovitraz through California ports of entry, according to the Times of San Diego. Mancera Morales was identified as the ringleader of a cross-border pesticide smuggling network.

Animal studies have shown that amitraz reduces male fertility and the number of live births.

Source: NY Post Metro