Chiayi investigators yesterday raided three companies on suspicion of manufacturing counterfeit pesticides that could be harmful to people and the environment.
"Investigators seized 50 tonnes of counterfeit pesticides made by three companies. Company officials will be charged with violating the pesticide control regulations, which is punishable by up to three years in prison," said Hsiao Yu-cheng (蕭宇誠), a spokesman for the Chiayi District Prosecutors' Office.
Hsiao said that the three companies, which are based in Taipei, Tainan and Chiayi counties, had produced and sold various pesticides that had not been approved by the Council of Agriculture for the past couple of years.
Investigators had been working on the case since May before finally raiding the companies yesterday, he added.
Compared to accredited products, the illegal pesticides were likely more toxic, with some measuring 20 times higher than the permitted level, he said.
If the pesticides were to accumulate in the human body, they could pose a serious health hazard, he added.
Hsiao said the companies were suspected of importing chemical materials from China. As these illegal pesticides were cheaper than certified products, they were quite competitive in the market. Some were even used for growing fruit and vegetables, he added.
The Chinese-language United Evening News yesterday reported that investigators also discovered a number of banned pesticides, including Fentin acetate, during the raid, but the prosecutor later denied the report.
Fentin acetate is a virulent pesticide used to kill an indigenous spiral shell called Pomacea canaliculata, which is rampant in the country and harmful to agriculture.
The government banned the use of Fentin acetate decades ago, but it some farmers reportedly still use it. Hsiao said they did not find such pesticides yesterday.
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