"California Man Makes History as First to Smuggle Greenhouse Gases into US from Mexico"

A California man has been charged with smuggling potent greenhouse gases, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), from Mexico into the US and selling them for profit, marking the first such prosecution in the country. HFCs, commonly used in air conditioning and refrigeration, are banned from import into the US without permission from the Environmental Protection Agency due to their significant contribution to climate change. The accused has pleaded not guilty to 13 charges, including conspiracy and illegal importation, with potential prison sentences ranging from five to 20 years.