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Mystery packages have been delivered to Santa Catarina residents with purchases made over the Internet, as gifts. The packages, allegedly shipped from China, describe the contents as “jewels” but are actually seeds.
Despite seeming harmless, the Santa Catarina Integrated Agricultural Development Company (Cidasc) issued an alert to the population and, if received, warned that the packages should not be opened and the seeds should not be sown, as they can be contaminated. with pests capable of affecting agricultural plantations in the region. The material will be tested.
“If the citizen has not made any purchase, but has received a suspicious package, do not open it, sow it and do not throw it away. Take it to an office of the Cidasc or to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), more below so that they are collected ”, the organ warned.
The first known package reached a resident of the city of Jaragu do Sul, in the northern state of Santa Catarina. The person bought a decorative object through the Internet and, upon receiving the order, also received another package containing two packages with the seeds.
After the repercussion, at least 30 residents of Santa Catarina, Paran and Rio Grande do Sul contacted the authorities to report that they also received the seeds via Correios, some of them had not made purchases online.
Cases not world
Other countries also reported receiving packages of mystery seeds from China. There is still no exact evidence of when shipments began or the volume of seeds distributed.
In July, farmers in the United States reported receiving unsolicited packages containing Chinese seeds. “We don’t have enough information to know if this is a scam, hoax, fraud or an act of agricultural bioterrorism,” said Kentucky State Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.
The authorities are also investigating the possibility that Chinese sellers are using addresses of US consumers who shop frequently on the Internet to make fake sales and therefore increase the positive rating of their products on e-commerce sites.
The Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture also issued a warning about the serious risks that these seed packages, coming from Asian countries, can cause from a phytosanitary point of view, due to the possibility of spreading pests and diseases or even the danger of dealing with Invasive or harmful species.
