New York business owner convicted of illegally selling unregistered pesticide and transporting hazardous material

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BALTIMORE — Idrissa Bagayoko, 58, owner of Maliba Trading LLC, has been convicted in federal court of selling an unregistered pesticide and recklessly transporting a probable carcinogen without proper documentation, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron announced.

A Baltimore jury found Bagayoko guilty of violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Hazardous Material Transportation Act for his role in distributing and transporting Sniper DDVP, an unregistered pesticide containing dichlorvos—a chemical classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a probable human carcinogen.

According to trial evidence, Bagayoko drove from New York to Maryland on September 29, 2021, and sold two boxes of Sniper DDVP to a Maryland customer. During a subsequent traffic stop in Elkton, Maryland, police discovered 18 additional boxes of the pesticide in Bagayoko’s vehicle. Investigators determined that Bagayoko had procured 1,728 bottles of Sniper DDVP, transporting more than 330 pounds of the hazardous chemical without the required shipping papers.

Federal law mandates that pesticides sold or distributed in the U.S. must be registered with the EPA to ensure safety and accurate labeling. Additionally, hazardous materials transported in interstate commerce must be properly documented to alert first responders to potential dangers in the event of an accident.

“This case highlights the critical importance of enforcing federal laws designed to protect the public from dangerous and unregulated substances,” said U.S. Attorney Barron.

Bagayoko faces up to one year in prison and a $25,000 fine for selling an unregistered pesticide, and up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the illegal transport of hazardous materials.

The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, and the Elkton Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Phillips and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kertisha Dixon and David Lastra.

Bagayoko’s conviction underscores the federal government’s commitment to protecting public health and safety by regulating hazardous substances and pesticides.