At Krasnoyarsk Airport, customs officers stopped an undeclared shipment of 166 exotic seedlings brought from Thailand. Source: FCS Russia.
An X-ray scan on the green channel revealed nearly nine kilograms of houseplants in the suitcase of a 42-year-old local resident — orchids, crotons, spathiphyllums, hoyas, monsteras, philodendrons, labizias and other species.
The passenger said she was carrying the plants for herself and as gifts for relatives. Because of the volume, the consignment was treated as commercial: such goods must be declared and customs duties paid.
The seedlings were seized and sent for examination to establish their value and whether they fall under the CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. CITES-listed items require written declaration and permits when crossing the border.
An administrative case was opened under Article 16.2(1) of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences for failure to declare goods; the woman faces a fine and possible confiscation of the plants.
