Jorge Murrillo, Smuggling Refrigerant, Florida 2022

Former Miami Resident Sentenced for Smuggling Illegal Refrigerant from China to U.S.

MIAMI, FL - Jorge Murrillo, 69, formerly of Miami, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA) by importing over 300,000 kilograms of illegal hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22) worth more than $1.5 million from China.

According to court records and a Factual Statement filed in court, Murrillo smuggled large quantities of HCFC-22 into the United States to sell on the black market. Murrillo and his co-defendant would negotiate with a Chinese manufacturer for the purchase of large quantities of HCFC-22 and then import them into South Florida ports. At no point did he or his companies or associates hold unexpended consumption allowances that would have allowed the legal importation of HCFC-22.

Between June and August 2007, Murrillo conspired to and otherwise smuggled approximately 309,536 kilograms of HCFC with a market value of $1.5 million into the U.S. Murrillo resided outside the United States from the time of his indictment in 2012 until his arrest in Miami in May 2022.

In addition to his prison term, U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham sentenced Murrillo to one year of supervised release. Judge Graham also ordered him to pay $5,794.84 in restitution to Homeland Security Investigations for costs associated with storing the illegal merchandise.

Murrillo's co-defendant, Norberto Guada, was previously convicted in 2012 of illegally importing HCFC-22 and served a federal prison sentence.

The CAA regulates air pollutants, including ozone-depleting substances such as HCFC-22. The CAA and its implementing regulations established a schedule to phase out the production and importation of ozone-depleting substances, with a complete ban starting in 2030.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/former-miami-resident-sentenced-smuggling-illegal-refrigerant-china-us