Orchids from eBay Seized, Help!
 

I'm still pretty new to orchids. I've been purchasing a few orchids here and there from US sellers.

Stupidly, I ordered a few from Thailand. I wasn't aware of the certificates and all the channels that must be taken to enter them here legally. Had I known this, I would have never made the purchase to begin with nor break any laws. I just thought, for some reason, it was from eBay and it was okay. I now know these laws are in place for good reasons and to protect from illegal plant collecting as well amongst other reasons.

However, I got the box with a note stating the plants were seized by customs, destroyed, and noting why (no certificates) and I may be fined and prosecuted! I'm really scared. I have a baby and scraping by in a bad economy as it is. I know, lesson learned. But us newbies aren't going to be aware of these laws right away.

But, what happens next? Anyone else had any experience with this? :((:shock:

Also, I feel people need to be aware NOT TO buy ever out of your own country (I live in the US) even on eBay. People can make an innocent mistake that can result in greater consequences. It's not worth it and better to support local growers. I feel eBay REALLY needs to crack down on this like they did with liqueur and artifacts. Or at least state you need legal documents!

These growers overseas don't get into trouble, knowingly sell them on eBay without ANY disclaimers. Of course, they want the sale. There are honest people that will tell you you must purchase the proper channels and won't sell the plants unless you buy these. A lot, I come to realize, will REFUSE to get the proper certificates for you because "it is too far away" or "just won't do it!"

So don't ever, ever buy on eBay unless it is local! I hope OB puts a sticky somewhere about that if it isn't there. Honest newbie mistakes can lead to trouble!

Thanks for posting this. How frightening. I do know that you can click "US only" on the left side of the screen once you've entered your product search on ebay's website, and that SHOULD ensure that you don't view any listings from outside of the states. I truly hope everything turns out well for you...try not to worry, you clearly made an honest mistake.

Claire

That is horrible! What a god aweful thing to happen. Youre all excited for your new orchids and you dont get them and are in trouble. Thats totally dumb. Good luck with your situation though. It was a complete accident and i cant see you getting into that much trouble. Just tell them the truth

Thank you, Claire. Truly hard not to. Who knew two tiny orchids would cause such trouble? :(

Thanks, Shiff. Wasn't expecting an angry notice in the box! Surprise. :( I mean, this has to happen often with how many people make purchases online. Small hobbyists aren't going to know such laws until something like this happens.

I always go to the advanced section in my search and choose located in the US only. Otherwise you can also get "sells to the US". Good luck and keep us posted on how things turn out.

This has happened before to others and been noted here on OB. The sellers in Thailand are all too eager to take your money and not inform you about the need for certificates, nor will they refund your money. It would be good if there were some way to alert new members of OB about this and discourage them from purchasing overseas, especially from Thailand.

Ron, I agree completely. Perhaps this is a common mistake us bright-eyed orchid lovers make. Especially with the popularity of eBay and all the plants on it.

ugh the damn empty box is what really sucks!!!

Papers doesnt always mean you are going to get your plants either. A good man told me he had been ordering from Taiwan for a long time and recently had a shipment of phal flask and vanda seedlings confiscated. They held them for well over 30 days. Of course they were shipped from here to there and everywhere and then back again. By the time he had got them the vandas were just about wasted. The flasks were still fine for the most part, but a loss is still a loss.

But good luck...If you dont have plans to travel in a box I dont think they will come look for you ;)

Nothing will happen too you , no paper work happens a lot if there was paper work and it said one thing was sent and something else that was not legal was sent then there would be trouble . You are not the first one this has happened to have read several post about no paper work on plants from Thailand .. Gin

WOW! I am sooooo very sorry to hear this happened to you. Please let us know how things turn out, but I have to agree with Gin and others in that this sort of thing happens a lot, especially with Taiwan. Here's to hoping that they will not come after you at all!

And by the way, welcome to the Orchid Board. I hope your experiences are far better in the future. Everyone here is extremely helpful, so if you have any resignations, fears or questions, this is the place to ask them.

RJ, sounds like ordering overseas, such in your friend's case, can result in a loss of a lot of money and dead plants. I think I will put myself in a box and ship myself to a tropical island! :)

Gin, I have been reading older threads about this issue and either you get the box and love letter to severe as agents actually coming to your door. Hopefully it will be just the empty box even though I am sad for the little plants' demise.

We just get so blindsided by the siren call of these flowers.

I just would never, ever do this again. And it is not about the money or them getting confiscated. It's just the fact these could carry pests, diseases, or could be potentially illegally collected. And the long shipping time. Or that you could get swindled. I would rather buy them from local growers or trusted eBay sellers with good feedback and happy customers. Which I always did save for this one mistake.

Thanks for the warm welcome, Paul! Truly appreciate it.

I'm hoping the same as well. Just happened today. I now realize I'm not the first on here and perhaps not the last. I just hope this thread discourages people from purchasing overseas on eBay unless they know what they are doing or know the grower well enough.

I'll let everyone know if they come a' knockin'. :( I'm still really upset.

Given the frequency and you situation, I wouldn't think they would come after you too hard. Generally they go for the ones they can make examples of. But please let us know regardless. I'm hoping and praying for the best of you and your family.

I should have made it clear that it is ordinarily not a problem ordering overseas if one does things correctly. I (and others) have several times ordered plants from the UK, primarily New Guinea Dendrobium seedlings but the proper procedure has to be followed which involves:

(1) Getting an import permit from the USDA - this is good for five years and costs nothing.

(2) With the import permit getting green and yellow package labels from the USDA.

(3) Sending a copy of the permit and a label to the person from whom you are purchasing the plants along with your order.

(3) The seller needs to provide a copy of the permit, use the USDA label on the package, and provide a phytosanitary permit (this will cost you something) and must address the package to you.

(4) The label will insure that the package goes first to a Plant Inspection Station and it is a very good idea to establish a relationship with them or at least contact them beforehand to let them know what is coming and to ask them to call you when they arrive. At least in Seattle they are very helpful in this regard.

The plants can be picked up at the inspection station when they are ready, but if the package is addressed to you the USDA will send it on to you.

We have not had a problem when following these rules - the problem with the people in Thailand and elsewhere in Southeast Asia is that they do not tell you that all of this is required and do not provide any paperwork (i.e., phytosanitary certificates). It is a waste of money to order from them.

Thank you again, Paul. I certainly will.

Ron, that is indeed quite a process; however, that is very good to know. If people become more educated about the legal manners in which the nature of importing any type of plant, seed, etc. then it would be less of an issue and save people who made innocent purchases in good faith the tears, stress, and worry that follows. I mean if you knew such laws before hand and took a gamble that is your fault. But if you're new and completely ignorant to the laws (such as I was)...well, those are the people that get prayed upon and unfortunately in trouble.

If you just get your box with a letter stating they were destroyed, is that the extent of most cases?

I buy Mokara and Vanda from Thai sellers but I make sure they give me the phyto certificate to go with my plants. The certification means it was grown in an enclosed environment and there will be no viral or bugs or fungi that goes with it...The Thai sellers usually mail it bare root and physan and phyton is sprayed on the plant so that it is sterile...the reason why the plants take long in arriving is: they make sure that the plants are soaked and prepared for the long voyage...the customs officials did not see any certificate and maybe that seller have sent it with fungi or some bugs with the plants...when the customs officer opens it and finds it is not a healthy clean plant they incenerate it...they dont thrash it...a pandemic plant dicease is scary...now that they also found in a sack of rice from India the larvae of a beetle that wrecked havoc on grains in the 1920's and we spent billions to eradicate it...they have just been more strict, I guess

Good information on this thread!

Good info indeed!!!

Sorry to hear about your purchase and welcome to the board!!!
You may be able the file a claim with ebay stating that you where not advised by seller about the paper work needed to receive you plants.

Wow, so sorry to hear of this! How disappointing, spending that money and see it laid to waste. I tell you, contact the seller and tell them what happened. Also, indicate that you saw NOTHING in their auction warning that some countries may require a certificate. There are many novice buyers out there NOT aware of this. I would also threaten negative feedback. Who knows, maybe they'll be a little remorseful and give you a partial refund.

I would also save the auction page as a PDF and a HTML file and keep it on file, in the remote case you may have to prove your case.
and take a screenshot too

I ordered a plant a couple years ago on EBAy -from thailand and paid, never heard from the vendor and never received the plant . To be honest I didn't chase up either.... I just though to myself ' you silly woman you should know better!' Obviously I have never done it again!

May I ask what you ordered?