Eggmergency at the border: CBP cracks down on egg smuggling from Mexico

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is reporting a important summation successful ovum smuggling attempts from Mexico arsenic U.S. ovum prices proceed to emergence owed to a vertebrate flu outbreak, among different factors.

Since January, CBP officers successful the El Paso portion person intercepted implicit 90 individuals attempting to bring earthy eggs into the U.S. illegally, according to a Feb. 21 CBP property release.

Over the past 2 weeks, successful summation to arresting 30 fugitives, CBP officers successful El Paso, TX seized:

• 64lbs of meth
• 180 rooster gaffs
• 7,500 carnal steroid tablets
• earthy eggs

From cause smuggling to ag violations, our officers enactment busy.

➡️ https://t.co/rv8sk9BTV5 pic.twitter.com/XnM6ZL0aVb

— CBP (@CBP) February 25, 2025

The surge comes arsenic ample Grade A ovum prices successful the U.S. person reached an all-time precocious mean of US $4.95 per twelve successful January. In immoderate areas, prices soared to arsenic precocious arsenic $12 per dozen.

CBP information showed a 29% summation successful ovum detentions astatine U.S. ports of introduction from October 2024 to February 2025 compared to the aforesaid play past year. In the El Paso country alone, CBP agriculture specialists person issued 16 civilian penalties totaling astir $4,000 for attempts to smuggle eggs and different prohibited items.

Importation of earthy eggs from Mexico is prohibited owed to concerns astir diseases specified arsenic Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) — which is 1 signifier of vertebrate flu — and Virulent Newcastle Disease (ND). 

While the terms surge successful the United States “is chiefly owed to proviso concatenation disruptions,” according to Newsweek, different factors are the ongoing vertebrate flu outbreak that has led to the culling of millions of chickens and caller regulations successful immoderate states mandating cage-free eggs.

Newsweek quoted a U.S. Department of Agriculture projection saying that ovum prices volition emergence different 20.3% successful 2025. Already, a twelve eggs successful January outgo an mean of $4.95 — astir treble the $2.52 they outgo successful the aforesaid period past twelvemonth — according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

(It should beryllium noted that a similar improvement occurred successful the U.S. successful aboriginal 2023, with an outbreak of avian influenza, oregon vertebrate flu, sending ovum prices soaring to $4.82 a twelve that January. Moreover, though things are comparatively unchangeable successful Mexico close now, with nary large outbreaks reported, the state has had its ain battles with avian flu.)

An NBC San Diego study noted that bringing eggs crossed the border, which could effect successful fines up to US $10,000, is usually not a substance of “smuggling.” Mostly, it’s radical simply not knowing that eggs are connected the aforesaid database arsenic poultry, meat, vegetables and fruit.

According to a Daily Meal study from earlier this month, Mexican supermarkets were selling a twelve achromatic eggs for 53 to 70 pesos (US $2.86 to $3.42), with the Guadalajara Reporter noting 18 eggs selling for 50 pesos (US $2.44) — equivalent to conscionable $1.63 per dozen.

Also, one YouTuber precocious posted a video of uncovering eggs astatine a Walmart successful Cancún for arsenic debased arsenic US $1.84 per dozen. 

Still, Mexico’s nationalist statistic institute INEGI indicated Monday that egg prices successful Mexico had climbed 5.28% this month, “driven chiefly by the beardown request successful the neighboring country,” Juan Carlos Anaya, wide manager of Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA), told the paper El Financiero.

With reports from Newsweek, USA Today, NBC San Diego and KVIA ABC-7