The Australian Federal Police and the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority yesterday executed search warrants at three premises associated with an importer and formulator of agricultural chemical products in Perth.
Neville Matthew, program manager of APVMA's regulatory strategy and compliance, said the APVMA was investigating whether the company fraudulently submitted details of non-existent pesticide manufacturing sites overseas in seeking registration of a range of chemical products for broadacre agricultural use in Australia.
It is a condition of registration that the active constituents of these products are manufactured at sites known to, and authorised by, the APVMA.
"This is one of the APVMA's standard conditions of registration and is applied to many of the products we register for use in broadacre agriculture," Mr Matthew said.
"If it is confirmed that the Western Australian company deliberately submitted false particulars, criminal sanctions will be sought.
"The APVMA would also give consideration to rescinding the registration and approval of all active constituents and products associated with the false particulars."