FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ENR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1994 (202) 616-1089 TDD (202) 514-1888 MEDIA ADVISORY MIAMI GRAND JURY INDICTS SMUGGLERS OF OZONE-DEPLETING CFCs: FIRST USE OF CLEAN AIR ACT TO CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL FREON IMPORTS In the first known case of its kind, a Miami grand jury has indicted two individuals under the Clean Air Act for illegally smuggling 100 tons of illegal ozone-depleting chemicals known as "CFC-12" into the United States. CFCs threaten to destroy the earth's radiation-shielding ozone layer, and the United States and other countries have agreed to decrease their use under the Montreal protocols. As U.S. law tightens the availability and imposes substantial excise taxes on these chemicals, used in automobile air conditioners, a black market has developed to smuggle in untaxed CFCs. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Kendall Coffey. "CFCs pose a great threat to our planet's ozone that protects us," said Coffey at a Miami press conference today. "This indictment shows we will not hesitate to enforce the law against smugglers and others who threaten the earth we live on for a few dollars." A release from the U.S. Attorney's office in Miami is attached. ### 95-030