Texas officials warn of unsolicited plant seed mailings

Driving the news: The Texas Department of Agriculture is investigating the unexpected delivery of at least 10 boxes containing seeds to a Frisco resident.

• The seeds were shipped using a website to hide where they originated, and the Frisco address was used as the return address, per the state agency.

The big picture: The New Mexico Department of Agriculture has also reported recent shipments of possibly dangerous seeds to residents.

• The packages mimic seed shipments reported in all 50 states in 2020, which the USDA said appeared to be coming from China.

Zoom in: It's unclear whether the packages received in Frisco came from China, but the seeds are similar to other shipments received from the country, per the Texas Department of Agriculture.

What they're saying: "Even if the sender appears to be from Texas, the true source could be from China or anywhere. This serious issue could have severe consequences for your health and the biosecurity of Texas agriculture," Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement.

What you need to know: Do not return a suspicious package to the post office. Instead, contact the Agriculture Department at 1-800-825-5832.