2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 25 - Commercial Feed (§§ 541 — 565) › § 565 - Penalties

Every person who fails to comply with any of the provisions of §§ 554—565 of this title or of the regulations promulgated by the Secretary thereunder, shall incur a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to the penalty of imprisonment for a term of not less than one (1) month nor more than six (6) months, or a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both penalties at the discretion of the court, the above being without prejudice of the administrative penalties established herein.
Every natural or juridical person who fails to comply with any of the provisions of §§ 554—565 of this title or of the regulations promulgated by the Secretary pursuant thereto, regardless of the penalties of a criminal nature to which he/she shall be subject shall be penalized with an administrative fine of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) nor more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000). For a second violation, and regardless of the penalties of a criminal nature to which he/she may be subject to, every infractor shall be penalized with an administrative fine of not less than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) nor more than forty thousand dollars ($40,000); Provided, That the natural or juridical person that has been penalized for three (3) different violations of the provisions of §§ 554—565 of this title, product of different events, previously criminally penalized in these cases, or administratively in these cases, or criminally in some and administratively in others, shall be revoked for life of all rights, privileges, licenses or authorization to register and thus produce, sell or import commercial feeds for domestic animals pursuant to the provisions of §§ 554—565 of this title, within the entire territory of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The Secretary shall keep a register of the natural and juridical persons that have been disqualified from benefiting from the provisions of §§ 554—565 of this title in accordance with what is stated above.
Every natural or juridical person that in the exercise of the powers, rights, privileges granted by §§ 554—565 of this title is associated or advised or shares any type of financial interest or has, as its director, consultant, shareholder, investor, agent, representative, partner, incorporator, employee or official of any sort, or any juridical person or civil or mercantile societies disqualified to do business pursuant to the provisions of §§ 554—565 of this title; or any person who has acted as director, consultant, shareholder, investor, agent, representative, partner, incorporator, employee or official of any type shall incur in a violation of §§ 554—565 of this title and shall likewise be subject to the penalties established herein.
The Secretary shall establish through regulations, the procedure for the handling of complaints for violations of the provisions of §§ 554—565 of this title, pursuant to the provisions of §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Uniform Administrative Procedures Act”.
History —June 28, 1962, No. 110, p. 326, § 12; June 14, 1966, No. 41, p. 172, § 5; July 11, 1979, No. 88, p. 210, § 3; Aug. 8, 2002, No. 127, § 9.