Help Report Agricultural Smuggling

If individuals are aware of the potential smuggling of prohibited exotic fruits, vegetables, or meat products into or through the USA, they can help APHIS by contacting the confidential Antismuggling Hotline number at 800-877-3835 or by sending an Email to SITC.Mail@aphis.usda.gov. USDA will make every attempt to protect the confidentiality of any information sources during an investigation within the extent of the law.

Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance (SITC)


Have fun.................

I see a lot of “beware of scammers” posts on this forum.

It was a lot of accusations, but no evidence only blah..blah..blah…

 I am making the same list about peoples who import fig plants and cuttings illegally. And I will present evidence and proof of purchase. Which as I stated before really easy to obtain on eBay by checking known sellers feedback. Why sellers? Because they are buying too.
So what the difference?
Really big- I am doing this to protect American Agriculture, not only “fig community” of selfish collectors who only see $$$$$$$$$ and do not care about anything else.

Depending on the country of origin, some fruits, vegetables, and plants may be brought into the United States without advance permission, provided they are declared, inspected, and found free of pests. However, certain plants and ANY plant parts intended for growing (propagative) require a foreign phytosanitary certificate in advance."

 Official website of the Department of Homeland Security

So , do you want keep posting and defending this people? Good luck! Give me more ammo.

 And I will be preoccupied with my research and dealing with USDA.

Olga, you better keep quiet - you have a long record of importing figs from other countries.
I have nothing against you- you may be a perfect person- why not- but importing plants illegally has nothing to do with that.
And please stop guessing who I am, it is pointless. But you probably have few “admirers" as you keep mentioning the same names.

  Based in France, o.coutard has been an eBay member since Nov 17, 2007

   sixxxx_mxxxx ( 675)- buyer in USA

and  o.coutard selling figs only.
With little effort anyone can find out that it was a fig tree bought from France .
And I have an answer from o.coutard that he is not providing any official documents for importing plants.

Just got a visit from USDA. They got a phone call from concerned citizen- fig collector from CA.

It was about my eBay purchases from other countries. They give me name of a person as I refused to answer any questions before I know a source of complaint. I will not mention a name, will let you guess if you know something about fig community.

One of the sellers/growers/collectors who is losing a lot from GreenFin operation and has a lot of friends in Thailand. It is really easy to guess. Especially taking into consideration person who is attacking GreenFin very aggressive lately. What a coincidence….

Let me tell you what is going to happen now.

I will start working on eBay information available for public- who is selling and getting fig cuttings from oversees. Really easy to get all this information from eBay seller feedback. And identity and country from buyer is clearly indicated on their profile. Easy as cake.

I will order from this sellers to get verification of addresses and names. And will not only report them to USDA but send all purchased cuttings as an evidence and printouts of eBay listings with names of cuttings and description of figs.  “Rare variety from Spain”, let’s say- and it will be up to seller to explain how they got a variety from Spain without legal papers. But it is not a biggest problem- visit from USDA will be fun. 

As this person proudly advertising his Facebook account I will be able to get a lot of information about his varieties and buyers from other countries. Sure it is going to take time, but somebody has to stop this person from feeling to be a king of fig community, even if he is ,it is still not fear to attack fellow fig growers.

Ops.. I forgot that it is not about comradery but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$....

It will explain a lot about few comments about GreenFin and his operation from a member who was registered 10 min before he post a negative comments.

Remember a member who was teaching you that it is illegal to sell/buy to/from other countries, but was getting all kind of cuttings from everywhere and then selling them on eBay?

 I will not mention Ponte Tresa but it is a good example. Remember last year sale of PT cuttings $80 each from CA seller. It must hurt a lot this year as GreenFin selling cuttings of the same tree only for $20.

Please spare your comments about Karma and such, be more specific if you want to discuss this issue.

Remember it is a public forum and it is a free country.

I will be preoccupied with my research and dealing with USDA.

Just got a visit from USDA. They got a phone call from concerned citizen- fig collector from CA.

It was about my eBay purchases from other countries. They give me name of a person as I refused to answer any questions before I know a source of complaint. I will not mention a name, will let you guess if you know something about fig community.

One of the sellers/growers/collectors who is losing a lot from GreenFin operation and has a lot of friends in Thailand. It is really easy to guess. Especially taking into consideration person who is attacking GreenFin very aggressive lately. What a coincidence….

Let me tell you what is going to happen now.

I will start working on eBay information available for public- who is selling and getting fig cuttings from oversees. Really easy to get all this information from eBay seller feedback. And identity and country from buyer is clearly indicated on their profile. Easy as cake.

I will order from this sellers to get verification of addresses and names. And will not only report them to USDA but send all purchased cuttings as an evidence and printouts of eBay listings with names of cuttings and description of figs.  “Rare variety from Spain”, let’s say- and it will be up to seller to explain how they got a variety from Spain without legal papers. But it is not a biggest problem- visit from USDA will be fun.

As this person proudly advertising his Facebook account I will be able to get a lot of information about his varieties and buyers from other countries. Sure it is going to take time, but somebody has to stop this person from feeling to be a king of fig community, even if he is ,it is still not fear to attack fellow fig growers.

Ops.. I forgot that it is not about comradery but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$....

It will explain a lot about few comments about GreenFin and his operation from a member who was registered 10 min before he post a negative comments.

Remember a member who was teaching you that it is illegal to sell/buy to/from other countries, but was getting all kind of cuttings from everywhere and then selling them on eBay?

 I will not mention Ponte Tresa but it is a good example. Remember last year sale of PT cuttings $80 each from CA seller. It must hurt a lot this year as GreenFin selling cuttings of the same tree only for $20.

Please spare your comments about Karma and such, be more specific if you want to discuss this issue.

Remember it is a public forum and it is a free country.

Just got a visit from USDA. They got a phone call from concerned citizen- fig collector from CA.

It was about my eBay purchases from other countries. They give me name of a person as I refused to answer any questions before I know a source of complaint. I will not mention a name, will let you guess if you know something about fig community.

One of the sellers/growers/collectors who is losing a lot from GreenFin operation and has a lot of friends in Thailand. It is really easy to guess. Especially taking into consideration person who is attacking GreenFin very aggressive lately. What a coincidence….

Let me tell you what is going to happen now.

I will start working on eBay information available for public- who is selling and getting fig cuttings from oversees. Really easy to get all this information from eBay seller feedback. And identity and country from buyer is clearly indicated on their profile. Easy as cake.

I will order from this sellers to get verification of addresses and names. And will not only report them to USDA but send all purchased cuttings as an evidence and printouts of eBay listings with names of cuttings and description of figs.  “Rare variety from Spain”, let’s say- and it will be up to seller to explain how they got a variety from Spain without legal papers. But it is not a biggest problem- visit from USDA will be fun. As this seller proudly advertising his Facebook account I will be able to get a lot of information about his varieties and buyers from other countries. Sure it is going to take time, but somebody has to stop this person from feeling to be a king of fig community, even if he is it is still not fear to attack fellow fig growers.

Ops.. I forgot that it is not about comradery but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$....

It will explain a lot about few comments about GreenFin and his operation from a member who was registered 10 min before he post a negative comments.

Remember a member who was teaching you that it is illegal to sell to other countries, but was getting all kind of cuttings from other countries and then selling them on eBay?

 I will not mention Ponte Tresa but it is a good example. Remember last year sale of PT cuttings $80 each from CA seller. It must hurt a lot this year as GreenFin selling cuttings of the same tree only for $20.

Please spare your comments about Karma and such, be more specific if you want to discuss this issue.

Remember it is a public forum and it is a free country.

I am not selling anything yet. I am just researching," what and why".
I have a farm and looking for plants to grow. May be figs, but need more time to research.
It is why legal aspect more  interesting  for me than rumors and emotions.

Need to know how to buy and sell, what is good and what is bad. And fig authenticity seems a huge problem.
Like an idea that one can use this forum as a platform for free advertisement big time.

Wow… What happened to advice “Ask before you buy on eBay”?

Most of inquiries include name of seller and item in question. Mine was the same.

Now let’s forget about emotions and consider only facts.

1. Seller of cuttings is Saint with knowledge of problems with fig trees in Italy, and by his/her own statement has a problem with her own trees. Still selling cuttings on eBay. Too much for keeping fig community safe.

2. Nobody knows rules and laws of import of cuttings to USA.

3. Some, (I will not say most or all, but some) members want to get new variety known or unknown, at any expense  from other country despite the fact that it can be risks to USA agriculture and possibility of destroying commercial orchards.

And some members prefer to get emotional instead of discussing an issue.

Regarding statement “Who is Pofigist?” It was stated many tines here that some Government authorities monitor this forum for whatever reason.

So it will be “smart” to let them know who you are and what have you done.

 And it always was a beauty of forums that you can use a nickname. And I am not looking for popularity or chance to sell/buy using this forum. And I do not care about fact that many do. After all it is expensive hobby and it is only reasonable to get some $$ to cover this obsession.

If eBay not willing to deal with this sellers it will be a good idea to report them to Agriculture department. It is known that AD watching eBay auctions anyway, so all we need is to supply them with list of varieties that were imported from oversees without paperwork. So this scammers will not be able to sell most desirable and expensive varieties on eBay-in this case d’Osso and Ponte Tresa.

I will contact AD with eBay ID of sellers and list of varieties they are selling.

It will stop the scam definitely. And if it will affect legal sellers, they will be able to present all Certificates / or whatever you need to present to verify that it was imported legally/ to AD agents.

I personally would not buy from anybody else this season, probably next season too- his prices and trees are looking good. And list of varieties and starter trees just endless. I already posted his information on my Facebook and few garden forums- hope he will get many more orders and will be able to do more such projects.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenFin
 
 
 
 
  
   

So, what he is going to do with all this trees, eat them for breakfast? Give him a break….

Competitor whose business of selling cuttings/trees on eBay will be killed with prices GreenFin can provide.