<div dir="ltr"><div>Hi Chris,</div><div>Thank you for the information and the update. Let's hope you're able to resolve this issue. Do you happen to know if a 3-177 is also required for returning loans of herbarium specimens (plants,fungi, lichen) coming back to the US from other countries?</div><div>Thanks,</div><div>Tim</div><div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Jun 24, 2025 at 6:22 PM Chris Grinter <<a href="mailto:cgrinter@calacademy.org">cgrinter@calacademy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Hi everyone,</div><div>As an update to our issue with USFWS, there is no news nor return of specimens. Our loan has been seized and a formal petition to the USFWS for return of property has been met with silence. The package was declared, but written in Mandarin and was not translated by CBP. The box did lack a 3-177, which is why they are citing us in violation of the CFR, Lacey Act, and Endangered Species Act. We haven't gotten criminal or civil charges from this import, but it's not out of scope for the current administration to enforce. On top of packages being seized, please note that students or immigrant visa holders entering the US should avoid carrying specimens at all times. Failure to declare or failure to "properly declare" has now been used by customs and border to detain at least one student, who is facing federal criminal charges for smuggling frog embryo slides before her eventual deportation.</div><div><br></div><div>This is just a reminder in the current climate that all paperwork must be accurate and submitted well in advance for all wildlife transactions into and out of the US. As Dirk mentioned in a followup, it is much preferred to <b>send parcels into the US via private carrier</b> and not through national postal mail. Offices in NY are particularly intense right now and are screening packages entering via USPS from Europe and China. And for anyone entering with hand-carried specimens into LAX airport, they also require an in-person 3-hour scheduled meeting with USFWS officers to clear your hand-carry. If you schedule ahead there is a good chance officers will waive your inspection, but failure to schedule will result in seizures and possible detention. If your flight arrives after hours you are required to pay overtime fees for this inspection, or schedule your meeting during business hours.</div><div><br></div><div>Hope this helps,</div><div>Chris</div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,120,122);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Christopher C. Grinter</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,120,122);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Senior Collection Manager of Entomology</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,120,122);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Secretary, The Lepidopterists’ Society</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,120,122);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Subject Editor: Lepidoptera, The Pacific Coast Entomological Society</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.8;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(138,138,138);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">California Academy of Sciences</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.8;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(138,138,138);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">55 Music Concourse Dr</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.8;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(138,138,138);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">San Francisco, CA 94118</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.8;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(138,138,138);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">T 415.379.5320</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(22,101,114);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.</span></div><span style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(22,101,114);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Learn more at</span><a href="http://www.calacademy.org/" style="font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(22,101,114);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">calacademy.org</span></a><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/calacademy/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(153,153,153);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></a><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(22,101,114);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Apr 21, 2025 at 1:54 PM Chris Grinter <<a href="mailto:cgrinter@calacademy.org" target="_blank">cgrinter@calacademy.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div>Hi all,</div><div>I want to give everyone a warning that the NY USFWS office has been seizing packages that do not contain pre-cleared 3-177 documents. I've just received an official notice of seizure for a loan that came back from China (via NY for some reason). The package was clearly labeled with a declaration of specimens, loan for systematic research, etc—however the agents at JFK seized the material as a violation of the Lacey Act, failure to mark appropriately (lacking 3-177 is how I interpret this), and failure to obtain clearance. The package was intercepted in September 2024 and I got notice today. No one at the NY office will pick up the phone or return my messages.</div><div><br></div><div>If you're receiving material from anywhere abroad it's critical to get a pre-cleared 3-177 and keep a close eye on the tracking number. Unfortunately if a package is seized by USFWS there is no update posted to USPS, it just shows as "in transit". </div><div><br></div><div>Chris</div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,120,122);font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Christopher C. Grinter</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,120,122);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Senior Collection Manager of Entomology</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,120,122);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Secretary, The Lepidopterists’ Society</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,120,122);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Subject Editor: Lepidoptera, The Pacific Coast Entomological Society</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.8;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(138,138,138);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">California Academy of Sciences</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.8;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(138,138,138);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">55 Music Concourse Dr</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.8;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(138,138,138);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">San Francisco, CA 94118</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.8;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(138,138,138);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">T 415.379.5320</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(22,101,114);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.</span></div><span style="font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none;font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(22,101,114);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Learn more at</span><a href="http://www.calacademy.org/" style="font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(22,101,114);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">calacademy.org</span></a><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Palatino Linotype";font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;text-decoration:none"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/calacademy/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(153,153,153);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></a><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(22,101,114);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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</blockquote></div><div><br clear="all"></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><font face="monospace">Timothy J. S. Whitfeld, PhD</font><div><font face="monospace">Collections Manager</font></div><div><font face="monospace">Bell Museum Herbarium (MIN)</font></div><div><font face="monospace">University of Minnesota</font></div><div><font face="monospace">1445 Gortner Avenue</font></div><div><font face="monospace">St. Paul, Minnesota 55108-1095</font></div><div><font face="monospace">USA</font></div><div><font face="monospace">(612) 625-0215</font></div><div><p style="margin:0px;font-stretch:normal;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;color:rgb(0,0,233)"><a href="https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/plants/" target="_blank"><font face="monospace">https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/plants/</font><font face="Courier"><span></span></font></a></p></div></div></div></div>