Avocado Imports from Mexico Suspended After Threats to Federal Inspector
After a safety inspector received a threatening message on their official cellphone, the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has suspended avocado exports from the Mexican state of Michoacán until further notice. Inspection will resume when the USDA can confirm safe working conditions for federal employees, according to the agency.
“The suspension will remain in place for as long as necessary to ensure the appropriate actions are taken, to secure the safety of APHIS personnel working in Mexico,” the USDA detailed in a statement.
Michoacán is currently the only Mexican state authorized to export avocados to the United States until an agreement with the state of Jalisco officially begins in June 2022.
“The security situation in the state is deteriorating. It's very dangerous due to the organized crime gangs and drug cartels that operate there,” stated Carrie Kahn International Correspondent at NPR and based in Mexico City.
Details of the threat have not yet been made public, but the industry has gained interest in the region as the drug cartels have sought to diversify their income streams.
In August 2019, a group of USDA inspectors were threatened at gunpoint with local authorities claiming a gang robbed the truck they were traveling in. In a letter at the time, USDA stated that in case of future security breaches, or demonstrated physical threats to personnel, program operations would be immediately suspended.
In the meantime, APHIS continues to investigate the circumstances of the threat and will work with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to authorize avocado exports inspected and certified prior to February 11, 2022.