An Esquimalt neighbourhood is now part of a worldwide mystery after a woman was sent seeds.
“On Friday our officers were called to the 800 block of Dunsmuir Road in Esquimalt, where a woman reported she got an unsolicited package of seeds,” said Const. Cam MacIntyre, spokesperson for Victoria Police.
“Sort of an unusual file, we have learned there have been a number of these instances across Canada, and they have shown up in Victoria and Esquimalt.”
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says 750 people, spread across every province, have gotten similar packages.
The strange trend has also been hitting the United States. Amazon US banned foreign seed sales last week as a result.
The exact origin, contents and reason behind the packages are unknown, but it is suspected they are part of what’s known as a “brushing scam” where people’s information is used to buy items in online marketplaces — to then leave fake reviews or boost sales.
Many of the packages across North America have been linked to China but the package in Esquimalt appears to have come from Italy.
“We are not surprised when we see creative frauds or scams pop up. Scammers are opportunists,” said MacIntyre
The CFIA says if you get unsolicited seeds, you should not plant them, as they could pose an ecological threat.
“The concern one would always have if one got a plant material from an unknown source is, how clean is it, does it have any diseases, is there any fungi or insects associated with it,” said Dr. Barbara Hawkins, from the University of Victoria’s Centre for Forest Biology.
Hawkins says seeds are probably the safest thing to send. More concerning is soil and plant parts. But if they are accidentally planted, it’s likely not a massive threat to our fragile ecosystem.
“We have a relatively tough winter, especially if they are annuals,” she said.
“They are only going to grow for one year. And its rare overall that a plant. overall. it would be invasive. We do have examples like holly, blackberry broom, gorse.”
The CFIA is still investigating but says some of the recipients reported having ordered seeds online in the past.
If you do get one of these packages, you are urged to contact them at a regional CFIA office and not plant or dispose of the seeds until further instructions are given.
Julian Kolsut
