"There are plenty of (super xenophobic) conspiracy theories flying around about this being some weird new form of biological warfare."

"But to be clear, these seeds could potentially be dangerous."

Yep

Duh.

Perhaps they're space seeds, not from China at all, or perhaps a Chinese astronaut brought them back from space, and a Chinese Official said OH HELL NO! Unlike those stupid Americans we've seen U.S. B horror movies and we're not falling for this!

So of course some evil person mails these seeds to the U.S. Where,in spite having created and watched a large number of dystopian sci-fi/horror B movies, where in every last one here is always a scientist who says. "NO! Don't do that!" and a politician who does the thing in spite of the warning and disaster strike, some dumb U.S. Karen or Chad will plant these seeds, and just like with, well everything, (diet, smoking, health care, guns, COVID-19) the scientists will be ignored, and disaster will strike.

For shits and giggles, look up the Stanford marshmallow experiment, it's not so much that the U.S. is the kid that just went for the first marshmallow, but the U.S. ran off with the one marshmallow and then bragged that we have the best marshmallow ever, while the rest of the world laughs at us.

@1 I know you have difficulty with anything that isn't stated literally and explicitly, raindrop, but "these seeds could potentially be dangerous" is logically equivalent to "these seeds are probably, though not certainly, harmless."

@1:

The piece of toast you ate for breakfast this morning "could potentially be dangerous" if you happen to choke on it, so too the glass of water on your night stand if it falls off and splashes an electrical connection. Literally ANYTHING can be "potentially" dangerous, dumbshit.

@4&6
The RW lives in a constant state of terror, everything frightens them, this is why they are so easy for authoritarians to control, it's pathetic, and would be funny if their fear didn't do so much damage.

@5 How so? Kudzu is already well-established in the US wherever the climate is conducive to its spread. American farmers sowed it deliberately and extensively in the 30s to control erosion. Planting a seed-packet here and there wouldn't make much difference now; it's already a problem wherever it can spread unchecked.

@6: You're taking issue with my affirming two quotes from the article. Get a life.

@9 You should really buying one of those desk dictionaries I keep suggesting for you, that wasn't anywhere near a correct or even comprehensible use of the word "affirming."

@10: No dictionary could assist me with your semantic subtrafuge.

@11 God damn, but you really do step on a rake every single time you try to use the SAT words, don't you?

Look, if you can't shake your pitiful conviction that your opinions are automatically respectable when you express them in that tedious antique Wm. F. Buckley declamatory style, you're going to have to take three steps back and first learn how to structure a coherent sentence in that tradition, and then keep the desk dictionary handy as you gradually add in the ten-dollar words, holding off on reaching for the 25-dollar shelf until you can manage an entire paragraph without walking into a lamppost.

Somebody punch someone!

What if the seeds are magnets for Murder Hornet nests?

"a nefarious seller seeks to artificially inflate their customer rating on a third-party sales platform "

What "third party platform" might that be? I know of one platform where I just assume most listings are fraudulent and suspect there is a good chance anything received is counterfeit.
I know it is probably not "most" but certainly not none, and it is hard not to be suspicious when the "platform" allows listings that contradict themselves three different ways and seem to be have been written by a four year old for whom English is a second language.
I don't really understand how that benefits the "platform", sure, they quadruple the number of items they show, but it just taints the legitimate (probably, but now I'm not sure) listings to be sharing a "platform" with crap.

Why send seeds, even if probably not a dangerous invasive (or toxic etc.) plant, there is some non-zero chance they might be which can result in, well, this article. If package is labeled "Jewelry" why not just send Dollar Store toy "jewelry"? or pieces of cardboard or any inert junk?
China is attacking US, so we need Trump to "defend" us? And the more Trump "defends" US, the worse the US looks to the rest of the world and the better China (and Russia if you are listening) look by comparison?

@12: You really want to belabor the point? Ok, "acknowledged" is a better word. You win, and can go masturbate now.

@16:

Why, do you want to watch - or was that today's entry in the "365 Days of Porn Definitions" calendar on your desk?

Who the hell plants seeds sent by a random stranger?

If this were happening in a sci fi movie, the seeds wouldn't be what's important in these packages, the virus they contain would be.

@5 - Or the PNW equivalent of kudzu, those %$#*+&^!!! introduced HIMALAYAN BLACKBERRIES that smother indigenous species as they scratch the shit out of you.

And then we have Idiots like Brent Hordness claiming "I have......quite a few" packages and thinks planting these potentially invasive species is "for funsies!" This type of action should be considered an act of treason! If these seeds are in fact invasive - What would it destroy? Washington heavily depends on APHIS & USDA to keep our apple farms, cherry orchards, peach trees, and pears safe. Aside from Boeing; agriculture goods are WA states' leading exports. An invasive species could potentially threaten the livelihood of tens of thousands of people. The act of planting these seeds should be deemed an act of agricultural bioterrorism. Brent Hordness hopefully you haven’t planted any of the seeds you were born with then.