United States customs officials are encountering a new phenomenon – increasing incidents of Americans smuggling eggs into the country because they are cheaper across the border.
The new illicit trade is an unexpected consequence of widespread bird flu outbreaks in the US, which have sent egg prices soaring.
US-based Sherwood News reported that thousands of Americans got themselves into trouble for trying to smuggle eggs into the US. Customs officials said most people transported eggs without knowing that unofficial egg imports were prohibited.
The publication said the customs office in San Diego, California had seen a 158% increase in egg seizures as egg prices in Mexico dropped to under $2 a dozen, compared to around $9 in California. Elsewhere in the US, the price of a carton of eggs had nearly doubled in the past year, reaching an average of $5.89 in February, compared with just shy of $3 one year earlier.
Across the US, for the first two months of 2025, US Customs and Border Protection forces have intercepted a whopping 3,254 egg products, up 116% from this time last year, the report stated.
