bring spices back from india?

We always bring spices back from Morocco when we go. As soon as you get home, throw them in the freezer for a few days. It kills any potential bugs.

I've been a smuggler for decades now-never even been close to being caught.

Once I was embarrassed by a bag of Epazote bought in the USA-crumpled up in a bag it looked like cheap Marijuana but it passed.

Another time a guard was convinced I was carrying something from the South Pacific- he commenced to rifle through my bag-to the point of moving the Chiles I was smuggling-and of course found nothing.

There's no point you can buy anything and everything in the UK depending on where you live you can always take a trip to Neasden London and visit the supermarket across from the Swarminarayan Mandir, it's like India only cleaner.

That's the rub Tony, we didn't break them! We were very carefull and knew that any chicken producct could not be bought into the country...it was noted on the pack that it cotained only lamb, we declared it, and we did think that we had done every thing 100% correct, but it was still confiscated by customs, and the customs officals reasoning that 'It could contain chicken', that he repeated over and over despite our many protests.

I agree with your points, strauss. I'm speculating that the official is thinking, if not saying, 'This could have been made in a factory which also makes chicken meals.' Just as almost (or it seems like almost, even though I rarely buy them) every chilled ready-meal in Britain states 'May contain nuts'.

Plant disease spores or insects or insect eggs could very well be in or on many products.

SiM has a point. About two weeks ago I came across what looked like a tiny centipede in my cup of home-brewed tea. ('twas dead in the cup and I assume in the packet.)

The tea is organic, whole leaf, first flush Darjeeling. I suspect the absence of pesticides coupled with whole leaf harvesting resulted in the wee beastie getting into the packet, perhaps near the end of the drying stage.

Sage advice at #9 regarding spice smuggling.

But #10 means one doesn't have to spent thyme worrying about it.

VG, sashac!

Perhaps she is trying to curry favor?

Thanks tony! I'm just cumin into my own on this one.