Illegal Egg Smugglers Caught at the Mexican Border as Prices Continue to Rise

US Customs and Border Protection agents in Texas have prevented at least 90 people from smuggling eggs into the country from Mexico, they revealed in a news release.

"Nationally, we can report that there has been a 29% increase in eggs being detained at ports of entry this fiscal year (October 2024 to February 2025) when compared to the same time last fiscal year," said a CBP spokesperson.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) specialists in El Paso have issued over a dozen civil penalties related to the attempted smuggling of raw eggs, with fines amounting to a total of almost $4000. CBP further clarified that bringing fresh eggs, raw chicken, live birds or other unprocessed avian products into the US is prohibited. Travelers are encouraged to declare all agricultural products being brought into the country to CBP officers.

"Importation of raw/fresh eggs into the United States is generally prohibited due to concerns about diseases such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and Virulent Newcastle Disease (ND)," the CBP spokesperson added.

"Failure to declare may lead to potential fines and penalties," the agency said.

Furthermore, concerns about recent outbreaks of avian influenza indicate extra border security in terms of transporting avian products such as eggs, which could be infected with the highly pathogenic virus.

"Egg prices are going up because of the avian flu, but that's driving people to buy more eggs than they usually do because they're anticipating higher prices and reduced grocery store supply," Saloni Vastani, an associate professor of marketing at Emory University, told USA TODAY.

Egg prices within the US have skyrocketed due to the supply chain being compromised. Constant outbreaks of bird flu have resulted in the euthanization of millions of egg-laying hens, placing strain on poultry farmers and causing inflation. They have recently doubled from $2 per dozen to $4.15 as of December 2024.