It is unlawful for any person to willfully import into, or ship or transport within, the state any live insect or any pest as such, unless the shipment or transportation and subsequent use and handling is authorized prior to shipment under written permit and the regulations of the director or the United States Department of Agriculture, except the following:
(a) Honey bees of the species of Apis mellifera.
(b) Weeds for the purpose of identification.
(c) Beneficial or useful insects of common occurrence in the state.
(d) Insects or other organisms of public health or animal health interest, which are not plant pests, when imported, shipped, or transported by any governmental public health agency.
Any shipment which is not authorized by this section shall be immediately destroyed unless it is determined by the inspecting officer that the nature of the contents of the shipment is such that no damage can be caused to agriculture in this state through its shipment out of the state or return of the shipment to the point of origin. In such case, the shipment out of the state or the return of the shipment to point of origin shall be allowed at the expense of the owner or bailee of the shipment within the time which is specified by the inspecting officer.
(Amended by Stats. 1973, Ch. 446.)