Three people in the US have been indicted for their part in a multi-million-dollar scheme to illegally import and distribute trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) from China.
TCCA is commonly used as a source of chlorine to sanitise swimming pool water. The US Department of Justice has charged the men with 26 counts of smuggling and fraud, claiming that customers bought more than $3.2 million (£2.4 million) worth of their product between late June 2021 and November 2022.
During the early 2020s, a domestic shortage of TCCA and subsequent increase in both import tariffs and duties on TCCA from China led to dramatic price increases. Two of the defendants are accused of evading those tariffs and duties. All three defendants are accused of fraudulently marketing and selling the product, as well as transporting hazardous materials without the proper paperwork and precautions. Further, the indictment says they claimed that their product contained 99% TCCA even though it was diluted with boric acid, and that they falsely claimed their products were registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The three defendants each face maximum prison sentences of many decades as well as millions of dollars in fines.
In March, the US saw its first prosecution for trafficking greenhouse gases when a California man was arrested and charged with smuggling hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants into the country from Mexico and selling them. He was accused of violating US government regulations aimed at curbing the use of greenhouse gases and mitigating climate change.
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