Dutch inspectors seized 30 kilograms of an illegal fungicide from a fruit grower in Zeeland on Tuesday after it was found packaged as dog food. The pesticide contains an active ingredient that has been banned across the European Union since 2019. According to the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), the grower is suspected of illegally importing and using the substance

The criminal investigation began after Customs officials at Schiphol Airport inspected a shipment from China. Although the paperwork listed items such as hats, inspectors instead found packages labeled as dog food. Inside those packages was the banned pesticide, not pet food. Authorities said the shipment was destined for the fruit grower in Zeeland.

When Customs officials flagged the package arriving from China at Schiphol Airport, the accompanying logistics paperwork tried to mask the heavy cargo by claiming it contained knitted winter hats and sweaters.

After uncovering the fraud, Schiphol Customs did not contact the grower immediately; they handed the case directly over to the NVWA, who conducted a background intelligence check to identify exactly which Zeeland producer had financed and ordered the package.

Investigators believe the fruit grower ordered around 150 kilograms of the banned pesticide from China, with the NVWA saying most of it was likely already used to treat fungal infections on crops. The authority said tests showed the fruit produced at the farm is safe for consumption. It did not reveal the exact location of the business in Zeeland.

Beyond confiscating the physical 30 kilograms of illegal fungicide, investigators also seized the business’s administrative records and financial logs to trace back previous chemical orders, transaction histories, and delivery logs.

The criminal case is being heavily directed by the Functioneel Parket, a specialized branch of the Dutch Public Prosecution Service that explicitly handles complex environmental, sustainability, and economic crimes.