Man from Noord-Brabant arrested for selling illegal pesticides to customers in Europe

A 54-year-old man from Noord-Brabant is suspected of selling illegal pesticides online to customers throughout Europe. Almost 3,000 liters of weed killer were found during a search of the man’s home and garage. He was running a webshop that offered the items while not having a license to sell pesticides, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) reported.

One of the products found was a weed killer with the active ingredient glyphosate. The NVWA suspects that these substances came from Spain and they are illegal in the Netherlands. “That is why they cannot be sold here. Not even by companies who do have a license for it.”

Using illegal substances or incorrectly using legal substances can cause danger to humans, animals, and the environment, said the regulator.

The pesticides are destroyed at the suspect's expense. His webshop has been taken offline. Buyers from the suspect have also been traced. This information will be handed over to NVWA inspectors so that they can conduct searches of the buyers.

The NVWA is conducting further investigation into the extent of the suspect's trade. Bank accounts and other assets have been seized so that the money cannot be siphoned off. After a conviction, money earned from illegal activities can be confiscated, according to the NVWA.