Traveller from Guyana fined US$300 for undeclared seeds, meat in US

A traveller from Guyana has been issued a US$300 penalty after the US’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered undeclared agricultural items, including seeds and beef products, during an inspection at a US port of entry.
According to a social media post by CBP’s Office of Field Operations, the traveller failed to declare the items upon arrival in the United States, despite being given multiple opportunities to do so. The inspection was conducted by agriculture specialists with the CBP Miami and Tampa Field Office, who identified the prohibited and restricted items. According to a photo posted by CBP’s Office of Field Operations on its social media page, the traveller also had a number of other frozen and seasoned items.

The incident highlights longstanding US agricultural entry requirements, which require all travellers to declare agricultural products upon arrival. Under regulations enforced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, items such as seeds, plants, soil, meat, and animal products must be declared and are subject to inspection by agriculture specialists.
Travellers arriving from countries such as Guyana are required to complete customs declaration forms and verbally declare all food, plant material, and animal products. Certain seeds and plant materials may require prior approval or import permits from the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service before entry is allowed.
CBP on its website warns that failure to declare agricultural items can result in penalties, including fines, seizure of goods, and potential delays in processing. The agency also emphasises that undeclared agricultural products can pose risks to US agriculture due to pests and diseases.