Police intercept taxi carrying 190 liters of dangerous agrochemical banned in Costa Rica since 2023

The Border Police intercepted a taxi carrying 190 liters of a fungicide banned in Costa Rica since 2023. Credit: MSP An operation by Costa Rica's Border Police led to the seizure of 190 liters of a fungicide containing chlorothalonil, an active ingredient banned in the country since November 2023. The product was being transported in a minibus-type taxi entering from the border zone with Panama. The discovery took place at the checkpoint located at kilometer 35, in the district of Guaycará de Golfito, in the province of Puntarenas, as part of the actions carried out by the Ministry of Public Security to combat smuggling and the irregular entry of goods. According to the official report, agents intercepted a vehicle driven by a man with the surname Salguero, who was carrying a cargo of agricultural products that caught the authorities' attention. During the inspection, officers found 190 liters of Clortosip 72 SC, a fungicide containing chlorothalonil, along with another 10 liters of various agrochemicals. The Ministry of Public Security emphasized that this active ingredient has also been banned in 31 other countries, due to concerns about its potential effects on health and the environment. Chlorothalonil is an active ingredient used in agricultural fungicides to control diseases caused by fungi in various crops. However, its use has raised international concern due to the risks associated with exposure to the substance and the presence of its degradation products in water sources. In Costa Rica, its ban was established through Executive Decree No. 44280-S-MAG-MINAE, which came into force in November 2023. The regulation prohibits the registration, importation, storage, transportation, marketing, and use of products containing this active ingredient in the national territory. The decision is part of the measures adopted by Costa Rican authorities to protect public health and natural resources from chemicals considered to be of risk. The operation took place at kilometer 35 of Guaycará de Golfito, in the southern Costa Rican zone. Credit: MSP After confirming the presence of the agrochemicals, the Border Police proceeded with the seizure of the cargo. The products were placed at the disposal of the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE), a division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), which must carry out the corresponding analyses and administrative procedures. Chlorothalonil is an active ingredient whose importation, transportation, and marketing are prohibited in the national territory. Credit: MSP The police intervention made it possible to identify other goods that were referred to the competent institutions. During the inspection of the same taxi, officers located several household appliances, which were placed under the custody of the Fiscal Control Police to determine their status and carry out the corresponding procedures. Additionally, in another operation carried out in the same border sector, agents seized 1,205 grams of vegetable seeds transported by a different driver. According to the Ministry of Public Security, the entry of these seeds presented apparent irregularities, so they were also retained. The operations are part of the controls carried out in the southern zone of Costa Rica, a region where authorities maintain surveillance over the movement of goods coming from the border with Panama. The seizure of the 190 liters of fungicide once again highlights the importance of border controls to prevent the circulation of prohibited agricultural substances, particularly those that may pose environmental and health risks.