Customs seizure of plant seedlings in an inbound post

Recently, Qingdao Customs officers intercepted 112 pieces of unapproved plants in an inbound post. These plants, in the form of potted seedlings, were identified by relevant authority to be five-leaved pines (Latin: Pinus parviflora) and have been put into quarantine by the Customs.

With soil around their roots, these plants were risky of carrying pests. As per the “Catalogue of Animals, Plants, Animal and Plant Products and Other Quarantine Objects Prohibited from being Carried or Posted into China”, external plant seeds, seedlings, other reproductive materials and soil are prohibited from entry in such ways; otherwise, the inbound articles without quarantine approval will be subject to destruction by Customs and the persons involved will be punished by law.