As egg prices soar nationwide, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is reporting a dramatic increase in attempts to smuggle raw eggs from Mexico into the United States through the San Diego field office.
CBP officials announced Thursday that “egg interceptions” have surged by 158% since the start of fiscal year 2024. The agency is now issuing a stern warning: raw eggs, and certain other agricultural products from Mexico, are strictly prohibited from entering the U.S.
This isn’t just about wanting to keeping domestic egg sales, at the moment we’re dealing with an outbreak of bird flu that’s impacting Southern California, and especially San Diego County, where a domestic cat recently died after contracting the virus. CBP emphasizes the critical need for “heightened awareness to protect U.S. agriculture from potential disease risks.”
Travelers crossing the southern border are required to declare all agricultural products to CBP officers and agriculture specialists. Personal food items are generally permissible, while food intended for resale or distribution must be properly imported through a cargo facility.
Failure to declare a foreign product can result in fines of up to $10,000, officials warn.
