The Air Intelligence Unit of Kolkata Customs seized 220 live plants weighing about 17 kg from an international passenger who arrived from Bangkok at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Saturday, 24 October 2026, the Finance Ministry said through PIB.
What Kolkata Customs found in the trolley bag
Acting on intelligence, officers stopped the passenger, who had arrived on IndiGo flight 6E-1058 from Thailand. During examination of the baggage, a trolley bag was found to contain live plants. According to the release, the consignment comprised 150 guava (Psidium) plants, 20 jamun (Syzygium) plants and 50 Caladium plants. The plants were examined by the competent plant quarantine authority, which found that they had been brought in without a valid import permit or a phytosanitary certificate, both of which are required under the applicable plant quarantine regulations. The release did not name the passenger. Caladium is a leafy ornamental plant, while guava and jamun are fruit trees grown widely in India. Officers found the plants packed inside a single trolley bag, according to the release.
Key Facts
- Seized: 220 live plants, about 17 kg
- Mix: 150 guava, 20 jamun, 50 Caladium
- Flight: IndiGo 6E-1058 from Bangkok
- Date: 24 October 2026
- Law: Customs Act, 1962; plant quarantine rules
Plant quarantine order and Customs Act action
The Plant Quarantine Authority issued a deportation or destruction order, the release said. The consignment must be sent back within the prescribed period, failing which the plants will be destroyed under the applicable rules. The goods were seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and further proceedings have been started in accordance with law. PIB explained why the rules matter: bringing in plants and plant material without checks can pose risks to agriculture, horticulture and the environment, because it can let in foreign pests, plant diseases and invasive species. A phytosanitary certificate is an official document from the exporting country confirming that plants have been inspected and meet health requirements.
Advisory for passengers at Kolkata airport
Kolkata Customs has advised international passengers not to carry live plants, saplings, cuttings, seeds, bulbs, roots or other plant material in check-in or cabin baggage, or in their personal belongings, unless the import is legally allowed and all requirements are met. Plants must not be treated as ordinary baggage items, the department said, and depending on their type and origin, an import permit, a phytosanitary certificate and other documents may be needed. Carrying such material without papers can lead to detention, seizure, deportation or destruction of the consignment, along with other action allowed by law. Passengers should check the rules with the plant quarantine authority and Customs before travelling, including for plants bought abroad, received as gifts or meant for home gardens.
Source: PIB Kolkata, Ministry of Finance, 25 Oct 2026 · Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
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