Bringing fruit home could get you in trouble. Randy Mac reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on July 23, 2015.
If you’re traveling to another country this summer, heed this vacation warning: Bringing certain souvenirs home could seriously strip your wallet.
Customs officials at Los Angeles International Airport will confiscate some items and impose serious fines — up to $10,000 — if you break the rules upon your return from abroad.
Topping the list of restricted items: Fresh fruits and vegetables.
“We are charged with protecting America’s agriculture sector,” said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Jaime Ruiz. “It’s a critical sector to the vitality of the economy.”
“California produces 70 to 80 percent of all the (nation’s) fruits and vegetables,” Ruiz continued. "It’s a matter of national security.”
California has felt the impact of imported contaminated produce: between 1975 and 1993, the state spent more than $170 million to combat repeated infestations of the Mediterranean fruit fly, or “Medfly.”
At least one of these outbreaks was traced back to a traveler importing one piece of contaminated fruit.
News
Top news of the day
If agents discover concealed agricultural products in your luggage, “You’re going to get fined, and it can start at $300 and go up,” Ruiz told the I-Team.
Other restricted items include:
- Absinthe
- Certain plants, and crafts made from plants
- Ivory
- Ancient artifacts
- Certain meat-based products
- Designer knockoffs
- More than $10,000 cash
For more information on U.S. Customs restrictions, visit their website here.
