Ruben Montes, 60, of Calexico, California, pleaded guilty on January 24 to conspiring to smuggle and distribute over $3 million worth of unapproved Mexican pesticides and veterinary drugs, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Montes admitted to organizing the smuggling operation since at least November 2020, bringing dangerous pesticides like Bovitraz and Taktic, along with unapproved veterinary drugs, from Mexico into the United States. These chemicals and drugs were smuggled across the border and distributed nationwide.
The pesticides involved, particularly Bovitraz and Taktic, contain high levels of amitraz, an insecticide that is toxic to bees and harmful to humans. These products were never registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), making their distribution illegal. Additionally, the veterinary drugs smuggled by Montes, including Tylocet, Terramicina, Tetragent Ares, and Catarrol, were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Montes also stored the smuggled products in Calexico storage units, from which they were retrieved for nationwide distribution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office pointed out that these pesticides and drugs posed significant risks to public health and environmental safety. Specifically, exposure to amitraz-containing products in beehives could contaminate honey and beeswax, presenting dangers to human health.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath stated, “These substances not only threaten the health and safety of our communities but also undermine the integrity of U.S. regulatory safeguards designed to protect consumers and the environment.”
Montes’ guilty plea emphasizes the serious nature of smuggling operations that prioritize profit over public safety, and highlights the government’s ongoing efforts to uphold regulations that protect consumers.
