# Bringing lavender seeds (and a gun) into Mexico



## Tufi (Dec 18, 2017)

After reading some ugly things on recent posts here about kidnappings, robberies, and murders, I'm now going to ask about bringing lavender seeds into Mexico. I have a nice souvenir that has a little bag of such seeds attached to it and am hoping to give it as a present. Of course, I'll be declaring it (I'm one of those over-declarers loathed by customs) when I arrive in Mexico, but will they confiscate it? I suppose I'm asking how strict they are. With thanks.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Tufi said:


> After reading some ugly things on recent posts here about kidnappings, robberies, and murders, I'm now going to ask about bringing lavender seeds into Mexico. I have a nice souvenir that has a little bag of such seeds attached to it and am hoping to give it as a present. Of course, I'll be declaring it (I'm one of those over-declarers loathed by customs) when I arrive in Mexico, but will they confiscate it? I suppose I'm asking how strict they are. With thanks.


I don't know how strict they are. If you get a green light, they won't ask about it.

But it is a bad idea to take plants from one place to another. Find another gift or remove the bag of seeds.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

there is plenty of lavender in Mexico why would you want to bring in seeds?? We can also order seeds from the internet .


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

You will see by the link below that under the Restricted List, the fifth item down is seeds...So you should declare but be prapared they may be taken away....good luck 

https://www.bajabound.com/before/permits/agriculture.php


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

I got some split lentils taken away a couple months ago – meant for cooking, not for planting, but they fell under the definition of ‘seeds’. I didn’t declare them, but a sniffer dog found them. I didn’t get into any trouble, but I lost my lentils, and, sadly, they were likely thrown away.
(If you’re wondering why I tried, it’s because although there are plenty of lentils in Mexico, it‘s hard to find red lentils.)


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## Tufi (Dec 18, 2017)

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll remove the seeds and replace them with Mexican ones. Nobody will notice the difference.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

TundraGreen said:


> I don't know how strict they are. If you get a green light, they won't ask about it.


The green light system has been ended at the Mexico City airport (I don't know about other airports). Now they seem to evaluate who to stop based on how many pieces of luggage you have with you.

I've been stopped a few times. Very important to take receipts with you to show you are within the US$500 duty-free limit (my receipts are in CDN $, so I write on them what the value would be converted to US$). Sometimes if they stop to ask if you brought receipts and you confidently say "Si", they'll just wave you on. Last time I accidentally left about half my receipts in Toronto, and I admitted that. So off I was sent to have the customs agents go through my suitcase item by item. I have a ton of family and friends I bring gifts for - especially the kids - and the custom agents (all young females) spent more time oohing and aahing about the cute kids clothes and cuter little stuffies, than worrying about if I was within my limit (I was). They also commented how the price I paid for the stuffies and clothes was much cheaper than what they would cost in Mexico (fortunately I had those receipts). Interestingly, all the customs agents were young women, and all of the other travellers being inspected were also women (all Mexican/Hispanic women, and me). We all were bringing in more than a small carry on suitcase, which is probably why we were singled out.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

I often bring in my homemade granola, both for personal use and for gifting. The customs agents have never batted an eye when they've seen it (the cute stuffies are probably a good distraction), even though it has nuts and seeds in it. I think it must be because it's roasted, not raw seeds.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Iwouldthinkthat if the lavender seeds are in one of these little fabric bags you can put in your armoire to smell good they wouldnot bat an eye either.


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## seohassan32 (6 mo ago)

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll remove the seeds and replace them with Mexican ones. Nobody will notice the difference.

Lavender


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

ojosazules11 said:


> The green light system has been ended at the Mexico City airport (I don't know about other airports). Now they seem to evaluate who to stop based on how many pieces of luggage you have with you.
> ...


The red/green light system was still being used in Guadalajara when I returned from a trip in June.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

The last time I flew into Cancun was last year, October I think. The red/green lights were gone, and the area had been opened up with the lanes gone and the tables pushed to the sides. I didn't ask, and at the time thought it was a covid thing. There were agents standing around watching people coming through.

They must be xraying the checked luggage, they keep finding idiots who try to bring in guns. The latest was a cop from Tennessee! He officially registered it with the airline and they let him bring it. I'm not sure who was dumber.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

So the airline let him bring it and Mexican aduna held onto it until his flight back to Tennessee ?? I can't imagine an airline's policies / decisions would trump Mexican law.


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## dvinton (Mar 8, 2019)

TundraGreen said:


> The red/green light system was still being used in Guadalajara when I returned from a trip in June.


We returned through GDL a couple of days ago. Still, red light, green light.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

The airline let him bring it, but the Mexican authorities confiscated the gun and threw the cop in jail.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> The airline let him bring it, but the Mexican authorities confiscated the gun and threw the cop in jail.





eastwind said:


> The airline let him bring it, but the Mexican authorities confiscated the gun and threw the cop in jail.


Interesting! Will the cop be deported, I wonder. Do you have a link for this story?


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Here's a search link, you can pick your press outlet:






teneessee cop arrested in cancun at DuckDuckGo


DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.




duckduckgo.com


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

I have a few questions that will go unanswered. What airline ? What do they have to say ? What was the the purpose of this cops travel ? Did he have a reservation booked at a tourist resort ? Was he by himself or with family ? If not for nefarious reasons, what would posses someone to bring a firearm to Cancun ?

edit : apparently he was on his honeymoon travelling with his new wife.
edit : american airlines

Nashville Officer Arrested With Firearm in Mexico


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

MangoTango said:


> I have a few questions that will go unanswered. What airline ? What do they have to say ? What was the the purpose of this cops travel ? Did he have a reservation booked at a tourist resort ? Was he by himself or with family ? If not for nefarious reasons, what would posses someone to bring a firearm to Cancun ?
> 
> edit : apparently he was on his honeymoon travelling with his new wife.
> edit : american airlines
> ...


Thanks for the link.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

I should have started a new thread rather than diverting lavender seeds to guns. Oh well, too late now. I haven't seen any updates, I suspect he'll get some kind of a court date in another week or so.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> I should have started a new thread rather than diverting lavender seeds to guns. Oh well, too late now. I haven't seen any updates, I suspect he'll get some kind of a court date in another week or so.


Let's keep in mind that this is the Mexican justice system we are talking about. I suspect he may be in police custody longer than another week or so, unless he is able to bribe his way out.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

I'm assuming that someone is exerting influence on his behalf to get his court date sped up. And I was just talking about a first court date, which is not necessarily anywhere near the end of it. 

I can imagine that a lot will depend on what his attitude was during his initial questioning and arrest. If he gave the arresting officers a lot of flak he'll end up getting harsher treatment.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> I'm assuming that someone is exerting influence on his behalf to get his court date sped up. And I was just talking about a first court date, which is not necessarily anywhere near the end of it.
> 
> I can imagine that a lot will depend on what his attitude was during his initial questioning and arrest. If he gave the arresting officers a lot of flak he'll end up getting harsher treatment.


It also depends on the mood of the arresting officers.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

I obviously have too much free time...
I just found this article
Nashville Cop Arrested In Cancun Airport For Gun In Luggage, Sent To Mexican Jail - The Police Tribune

On Monday night, Khristian Hawes made a Facebook post that appeared to be celebrating her husband’s impending release.

“PRAYER WARRIORS… YALL DID YOUR THING TODAY !!” she wrote.

Then she posted a picture of a heavily-redacted text that read “He’s out in 30 min.”


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## Kera (5 mo ago)

Tufi said:


> After reading some ugly things on recent posts here about kidnappings, robberies, and murders, I'm now going to ask about bringing lavender seeds into Mexico. I have a nice souvenir that has a little bag of such seeds attached to it and am hoping to give it as a present. Of course, I'll be declaring it (I'm one of those over-declarers loathed by customs) when I arrive in Mexico, but will they confiscate it? I suppose I'm asking how strict they are. With thanks.


Why are over-declarers loathed by Customs?


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## kphoger (Apr 22, 2020)

For what it's worth... I flew into MTY in March, and I don't recall any red light green light system at all. (I didn't have any checked baggage, but I had a carryon.) From what I've read, it's a gradual phase-out, and I guess there are just still plenty of airports that haven't removed them yet.


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