Temu shoppers have been told to be wary of suspicious parcels after an unexpected delivery sparked a biosecurity alert.

The shopper had ordered a dog toy from the budget retailer online – but ended up receiving a mysterious packet of seeds. Officials in Texas, US have said it is only the latest incident involving items shipped from China unexpectedly resulting in seeds being delivered, sparking fears of a potential risk to American biological security. Concerns have also been raised over how the seeds – later found to belong to an invasive species – were able to pass through Customs undetected.

The seeds, which were delivered to an address in Clute, Texas, in a sealed bag were identified as Sacred Lotus or Nelumbo nucifera seeds, also known as Indian lotus. They were accompanied by a unlabelled liquid, which was confirmed as a nutrient solution.

Sacred Lotus, an aquatic plant native to Asia, is considered an invasive aquatic plant in many regions. In the US it is currently on the federal noxious weed list, and is completely prohibited in the state of Wisconsin.

After the latest discovery, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said: “It’s clear there’s a trend here, and Americans nationwide need to stay vigilant. The importance of biosecurity for our country shouldn’t be overlooked. We heard back from APHIS; sure enough, the first reported package included an invasive plant species. We need everyone’s support to report these unsolicited packages from China.

Anyone who receives a parcel they did not expect to have seeds inside should not open it and immediately contact the Department for Agriculture, a press release stated. Mr Miller said the parcels should never have got through customs, and added: “Without the proper documentation and consent, the shipment did not meet the entry conditions for the United States. We need to close this loophole in our biosecurity protections. It’s a vulnerability to national security.”

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