Afghanistan, Aug. 15 -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has seized more than 440 pounds (about 200 kilograms) of seed cotton from an Afghan family at Washington Dulles International Airport, saying the material could pose a risk to U.S. agriculture and the textile industry.
CBP said Thursday, August 13, 2026, that the family arrived at Dulles on Monday and was referred for a secondary inspection. The travelers told officials they had purchased the cotton in Afghanistan and packed it into three duffel bags to use as bedding after arriving in the United States, according to CBP spokesperson Stephen Sapp.
CBP agricultural specialists determined that the cotton could not be brought into the United States after finding that it still c...