A New York business owner has landed in serious trouble for mishandling and selling a dangerous chemical in Maryland. Idrissa Bagayoko, a 58-year-old who owns Maliba Trading LLC, was found guilty of recklessly transporting a harmful substance and selling an illegal pesticide, according to federal authorities.
Here’s what happened: Back in September 2021, Bagayoko drove all the way from New York to Maryland with a dangerous product in tow. Once there, he sold two boxes of a pesticide called Sniper DDVP, which wasn’t even registered for legal use. But that wasn’t the end of it. Police later pulled him over in Elkton, Maryland, and found 18 more boxes of the same pesticide stashed in his vehicle.
Investigators dug deeper and discovered that Bagayoko had obtained a massive stockpile of this hazardous product—a whopping 1,728 bottles. He had been transporting it from New York to Maryland to sell, completely disregarding the law.
So, what’s the big deal about this pesticide? Turns out, each bottle of Sniper DDVP contained a chemical called dichlorvos. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this chemical is considered a “probable human carcinogen,” meaning it could potentially cause cancer. That’s not something anyone wants to mess around with.
Adding to the seriousness, Bagayoko didn’t follow safety rules while moving the chemical. He transported over 330 pounds of dichlorvos without any of the required paperwork that would have alerted first responders in case of an accident. Imagine the risks if there had been a spill or crash!
Federal prosecutors charged Bagayoko under two laws: the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which ensures pesticides in the U.S. are safe and properly labeled, and the Hazardous Material Transportation Act, which sets strict rules for moving dangerous substances.
Bagayoko now faces some hefty penalties. For illegally transporting the chemical without proper documentation, he could spend up to five years in prison and pay a fine of $250,000. And for selling an unregistered pesticide, he’s looking at another possible year behind bars and a $25,000 fine.
This case is a stark reminder of why safety rules exist for handling hazardous materials. It’s not just about following the law—it’s about protecting people and the environment from potentially devastating consequences.
