Cincinnati CBP Agriculture bars prohibited fruit
US customs and border protection agriculture specialists in Cincinnati have confiscated 1,927 kg of fresh strophanthus fruit since early February. The fresh fruit arrived in multiple shipments from Laos and was destined to numerous locations throughout the United States.
Fresh plant products are regulated for the potential to introduce foreign pests and diseases, and specific documentation is required for entry into the United States. No paperwork accompanied the shipments, and all were destroyed onsite by steam sterilisation.
Cincinnati port director Richard Gillespie said: “The sheer volume of these prohibited shipments clearly shows how we play a critical role in preventing invasive pests and diseases from entering the United States.” (mw)