An insecticide against bed bug and cockroach infestations, banned in France, "Sniper 1000", is causing a " increasing number of poisonings "four of which were fatal," warns the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), referring to a " heavy traffic "particularly in the Ile-de-France region."
“ Formerly used to combat insects in homes, warehouses, crops and livestock farms"Dichlorvos, the main active biocidal substance in 'Sniper 1000', has been banned in France and the European Union since 2013." due to its high toxicity", the agency reminds us in its vigilance bulletin, published on April 13, 2026. However, sold " illegally in markets, bazaars or on the internet" , the "Sniper 1000" continues to be used to fight bed bugs and cockroaches, despite seizures of bottles and regular alerts by health authorities.
More than 206 cases of poisoning linked to this product were recorded by Poison Control Centers between 2018 and June 2023. And these poisonings can be serious with respiratory, digestive, neurological or neuromuscular symptoms that can lead to death" , specifies the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety.
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351 cases of poisoning recorded over three years
However, the number of cases increased sharply from the beginning of 2023 to the end of 2025, with 351 poisonings recorded over three years, six out of ten of which involved women. While most were mild, one in ten was moderately serious, and four cases resulted in death. Because the "Sniper 1000," still " imported mainly from sub-Saharan Africa" , is the subject of a " significant traffic in the Île-de-France region which is now extending to other major cities in France", the agency reports, reminding everyone that it should not be used.
Nearly 7 out of 10 exhibitions took place in the Île-de-France region – including more than one in five in the Seine-Saint-Denis department alone – where the product had been purchased mainly in markets or bazaars. But “ unlike the previous assessment"The product is now circulating throughout the territory, with poisonings reported in Marseille, Limoges, Lyon and overseas territories in particular," the health agency emphasizes.
Of the 351 poisonings recorded, 255 were linked to the use of the "Sniper 1000" against household pests, 39 to accidental ingestion by a child, and 32 to intentional ingestion for suicidal purposes, she specifies. Bed bugs are now resistant to " almost all over-the-counter insecticides"Anses recommends, if the infestation persists, using a certified professional.
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