Thanks to the development of new technologies, the world is becoming more open, including in the field of postal services. However, this trend does not eliminate the need for safety measures to keep in mind when preparing to send a package to recipients.

Authorities have developed a list of items and substances prohibited for postal delivery. These lists vary depending on the shipping destination: within the country or to another country.

In our country, the following types of items and products are prohibited for postal delivery:

• Weapons: including firearms, signaling devices, and pneumatic guns. Ammunition, disassembled guns, and electroshock devices are also prohibited.
• Narcotic substances of any type, psychotropic substances, hazardous flammable, and aggressive substances.
• Plants and flowers containing poisons, as well as animals and birds dangerous to humans.
• Perishable products and beverages.
• Items that may harm postal workers, stain their clothing, or damage other packages.

It is also prohibited to ship currency and foreign banknotes.

International Shipping Regulations

The list of items prohibited for international postal shipping is much broader. In addition to weapons, drugs, hazardous substances, gases, and currency, the following cannot be sent by mail:

• Documents – passports, identification cards, labor contracts, and workbooks. Exceptions include notarized copies of these documents.
• Bonds, lottery tickets, and securities.
• Media materials, including printed and video content, that may disclose state secrets or cause political and economic harm to the country.
• Minerals, industrial mining raw materials, soil samples, and paleontological elements. These can be shipped with permission from federal authorities, except for souvenir products in this category.
• Precious metals, including jewelry, and pearls.
• Live animals, including those listed in the Red Book, as well as their derivatives. Certain subspecies of insects, leeches, and worms may be shipped under agreements between scientific institutions.
• Photosensitive materials: photographic film, substrates, developers, fixers, and other chemical products.
• Valuable books published over 100 years ago, original artworks, and postage stamps whose value is determined by the German "Michel" catalog.
• Cultural souvenir products produced over 50 years ago, whether mass-produced or one-of-a-kind.
• Pornographic materials in any format.
• Raw food products, including milk, meat, sausages, and fish.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as indoor and garden plants.
• Items emitting strong unpleasant odors or that may soil postal workers' uniforms, causing additional inconvenience during handling.

Additional items and substances prohibited for postal delivery include those specifically restricted in the destination country.

Prohibitions for Air Shipping

Air transportation is considered one of the fastest and most reliable methods in the world. However, the following items are not accepted on board aircraft:

• All types of weapons, including replicas of rifles, pistols, and grenades, as well as knives and electroshock devices.
• Drugs, psychotropic substances, unknown substances, and mixtures.
• Explosives – TNT, dynamite, ammonium nitrate, and similar materials. Pyrotechnic compounds, gunpowder, and fireworks are also prohibited.
• Flammable liquids, solids, and gases – gas lighters, deodorants, fire extinguishers, perfumes, nail polish, hair sprays, organic mixtures, and similar products.
• Radioactive substances and their derivatives, acids, including lithium batteries.
• Chemical and biological compounds that can cause infections and other hazardous materials.

Regulations prohibit packaging items for air transport in foil or metal containers.