Cats, ashes and coins — you can get into trouble for mailing these 17 items overseas

The SA Post office has warned against sending prohibited items in the mail, saying they are hazardous and can cause delay in shipping.

In a statement sent to TimesLIVE, Sapo spokesperson Johan Kruger said airlines scan mailbags before they are loaded using an X-ray machine. 

“Should a single prohibited item be detected in a mailbag, the entire mailbag is returned to the sorting centre to be opened and searched until the offending parcel is found,” said Kruger.

Kruger said all items in the same bag as the prohibited item miss shipping until the next available flight. 

Items that may not be mailed due to potential danger include creams, lotions, ammunition, fireworks, aerosols, cigarette lighters and flammable liquids such as alcohol, thinners, varnish remover and petroleum products. 

Some of the risks associated with these items include explosions.

People sending poisons including drugs, medicines and jewellery are required to produce an import permit. 

Other prohibited items that do not pose a risk of explosion include bank notes and coins, jewellery (senders are required to produce a special permit for these items), animal products including fur and ivory, and human remains including ashes. 

Kruger advises people to ensure their items are labelled correctly and packaged diligently to avoid breakages.

“Parcels are loaded in bulk into the holds of planes. Make sure that your precious parcel is in a sturdy packaging and if there is empty space, fill it with packaging material,” said Kruger. 

The following goods are prohibited:

• Bank notes and coins.  You need an import and export permit to send these items.
• Jewellery, precious stones or precious metals. An import permit is also needed for these items.
• Asbestos.
• Any animal, insect or living organism.
• Any biological substance.
• Firearms or parts thereof.
• Fur, ivory or any other animal products.
• Human remains, including ashes.

Items that are potentially dangerous on an aircraft may not be posted to other countries. These include:

• Liquids, including creams and lotions. Certain explosives are produced in the form of gels or creams.
• Explosives — ammunition, fireworks. These may explode in the hull of an aircraft.
• Compressed gas — aerosols, carbon dioxide gas, cigarette lighters. These may also explode in the hull of an aircraft.
• Flammable liquids: alcohol, thinners, varnish remover, turpentine, petroleum products.
• Flammable solids: Magnesium, matches and zinc powder.
• Oxidising material: Bleach, some hair dyes, peroxide, Fibreglass repair kits. If these items leak, they could produce lethal and explosive gases.
• Poisons, including drugs and medicine. An import permit is required for all countries.
• Radioactive material (including mercury-filled thermometers).
• Magnetised materials.  These items can interfere with the navigation system of the aircraft.