A family traveling from Afghanistan had over 440 pounds of seed cotton seized at Virginia’s Dulles International Airport. The cotton, packed in three duffel bags, was intended for bedding but posed a threat to domestic agriculture due to the presence of seeds.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers referred the family to a secondary inspection, where agriculture specialists determined the cotton required a U.S. Department of Agriculture permit, a phytosanitary certificate, and treatments like fumigation to be allowed into the country.
Raw cotton can carry pests, diseases, and invasive weeds, including the cotton seed bug and pink bollworm, which threaten U.S. agriculture and the textile industry. The family was allowed to continue their journey after the cotton was seized.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
