Food
US Border Agents Seize 300% More Eggs From Americans Looking for Lower Prices in Mexico
- A lot of people ‘unaware’ of ban on imports of raw eggs
- Egg prices surge after outbreak of avian flu in hen flocks
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With egg prices surging in the US, some Americans are trying to lower their grocery bills by buying them south of the border. The only problem: It’s illegal to bring them back into the country, and now seizures of eggs at some US-Mexico border crossings have surged more than 300%.
Since Nov. 1, egg seizures are up 91% at the agency’s El Paso field office, 301% in Laredo, 333% in Tucson and 368% in San Diego compared to the same period a year earlier, according to Customs data through Jan. 17. In most cases, the seizures involve no more than a few 30-egg flats that travelers say they purchased for themselves to take advantage of lower prices in Mexican stores, said Roger Maier, a spokesman for US Customs and Border Protection.