The U.S. officials halted its imports of Mexican avocados after a safety inspector received a threatening phone call, The Associated Press reported.
Mexico’s agriculture minister said in a statement on Saturday that a U.S. plant safety inspector in Mexico received a threatening message over a call, leading to a surprise, sudden suspension “until further notice”.
An investigation is already underway to examine the threat to decide what measures should be taken to provide for the physical integrity of all its personnel working in Michoacán.
Recently, Avocado exports became the most recent victims of the drug cartel turf battles and extortion of avocado producers in the western state of Michoacan, the only state in Mexico fully authorized to export to the U.S. market.