Smuggling Mainland Plants into Taiwan, China Could Turn It into a Nematode Epidemic Zone
The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ) of the Council of Agriculture announced today that the Kaohsiung Customs of the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, together with the Kaohsiung Branch of BAPHIQ, used X-ray machines yesterday to seize two containers of daffodil bulbs imported from Xiamen, China, which were found to be carrying a large quantity of soil-bearing live dragon blood trees (Dracaena cinnabari) 920 plants, green treasure trees (Radermachera sinica) 2,045 plants and snake plants (Sansevieria) 13,000 plants, all subject to import controls, totaling 15,965 plants. If the import caused the invasion of related nematodes from China, it would cause losses of several billion yuan to our country's plant industry.
The importer will be handed over to justice for illegally importing soil-bearing plants without authorization, and may face a maximum prison term of up to 3 years and a fine of 150,000 yuan, and the batch of plants will be destroyed in accordance with regulations.
BAPHIQ has asked all its branches to strengthen import quarantine and to coordinate with customs to step up random inspections of goods from high-risk areas in order to eliminate illegal activity.
BAPHIQ stated that soil is highly likely to carry many dangerous epidemic diseases and pests, and that mainland China is an epidemic area for quarantine pests such as stem nematodes, and root-knot nematodes have also occurred in some areas; these nematodes can harm hundreds of plant species and are important quarantine pests internationally.
Our country is currently still a non-epidemic area for stem nematodes and root-knot nematodes. If these nematodes invade, they could cause losses of several billion yuan or more to our country's agricultural production and exported plant industry.
BAPHIQ called on operators not to test the law by illegally importing animals, plants and their products without authorization, so as to safeguard the safety of our country's agricultural production. To encourage the public to actively report illegal activity, BAPHIQ has set up a reporting hotline 0800-039131; anyone whose report leads to a bust will be given a reward in accordance with regulations.