Meat Processing Plant and Employees Charged with Conspiring to Violate the Clean Water Act and Discharging Pollutants in Puerto Rico
Five individuals and a Puerto Rico meat processing plant face federal charges for allegedly dumping untreated waste into coastal waters over seven years, violating the Clean Water Act.
The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging five individuals and Ganaderos Borges Inc. (GBI) with four Clean Water Act violations and conspiracy, alleging they illegally discharged wastewater from a meat processing plant into a creek leading to the Caribbean Sea. The defendants include GBI’s president and operator, who allegedly directed employees to pump untreated waste to avoid disposal costs. The charges carry potential penalties of up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines per violation for individuals, and $500,000 per charge for the corporation.
Prosecutors allege the scheme began in August 2018 and continued until at least September 2025, with defendants using a submersible pump to transfer waste from a retention lagoon into an adjacent creek. The waste included animal blood, feces, grease, and cleaning chemicals, flowing toward Tropical Beach in Naguabo, Puerto Rico. GBI held a non-discharge permit requiring waste to be hauled off-site, which expired in July 2019, yet violations persisted. The defendants allegedly concealed the activity by hiding equipment and providing false records to authorities.
Federal agencies described the alleged conduct as a deliberate disregard for environmental laws, endangering public health and coastal ecosystems. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and FBI investigated the case as part of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Environmental Crimes Task Force. Prosecutors emphasized that illegal discharges harm wildlife, water quality, and nearby communities, including beaches and a military base. The case underscores the government’s commitment to enforcing environmental protections and holding violators accountable.
The indictment remains an allegation, with all defendants presumed innocent until proven guilty. The proposed penalties reflect the severity of the alleged violations, which spanned multiple years and involved systematic efforts to bypass legal waste disposal requirements. The case highlights ongoing federal scrutiny of industrial pollution in Puerto Rico and the broader Caribbean region.