United States: mysterious Chinese seeds worry local authorities

The agriculture services of several American states have published press releases in recent days warning their residents of suspicious packages containing mysterious seeds, presumably sent from China. " The types of seeds in the packages are currently unknown and are likely to contain invasive plant species, " the Ohio Agricultural Department warned Monday, July 27.

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“ If you receive such a package, please DO NOT sow these seeds. If they are in a sealed package, do not open the package, ”advised the authority, which redirects to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Ohio Agriculture Department says " unwanted seeds can be invasive, contain noxious weeds, introduce disease to local plants, or be dangerous to livestock ."

Similar guidelines have been issued by the agriculture departments of the states of Washington, Louisiana, Virginia and Kansas. According to local media and photos shared by residents on social media, packages were also sent to Utah and Arizona.

Brushing according to the police

Some of them were cataloged as if they were jewelry and contained Chinese characters on their labels. The motivations behind these shipments remain obscure. According to the Ohio Police Department, this could be " brushing, " an unfair technique used in online commerce that involves improving reviews of a product by generating bogus orders. " We would prefer that people contact us to get rid of these seeds properly ," recommend the state police.

The USDA did not immediately react to these enigmatic packages. But on its site, the department provides a phone number and address for people " aware of potential trafficking in exotic fruits, vegetables or meat products banned in or in transit through the United States." "