Why is egg smuggling dangerous? Hatching eggs seized in Louisville
Amid national concerns over the price of eggs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently seized more than three dozen hatching eggs in Louisville in recent weeks, according to a news release.
It's nothing new. In 2024, 25 shipments containing 519 eggs were seized in Louisville. Those eggs came from Turkey, Belgium, Romania and Singapore, the release said.
And earlier this year, CBP said agents had stopped at least 90 people from smuggling eggs into the country from Mexico during the first two months of 2025.
Why is this such a problem? Here's a look at what's been happening.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized the eggs in three shipments in Louisville:
A March 6 shipment from Turkey to New York and Nevada.
A March 16 shipment also from Turkey and also headed to New York and Nevada.
A March 19 shipment from Romania headed to Costa Rica.
It is illegal to bring fresh eggs, raw chicken, unprocessed avian products and live birds into the U.S., the CPB said, adding that travelers should declare all agriculture products to customs officers and agriculture specialists.
'Failure to declare may lead to potential fines and penalties,' the agency said.
LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, field operations director at the CBP office in Chicago, said the food supply in the US is "constantly at risk to diseases not known to occur in the United States." The seizures help "ensure the United States is safe from harmful diseases," she said in a news release about the Louisville egg seizures.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a reminder that raw egg imports from Mexico are prohibited due to health concerns regarding Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or bird flu.
An additional concern about raw eggs being imported from Mexico include the potential transmission of Virulent Newcastle disease or VND, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
Egg seizures: Texas customs officers scramble plans, stop at least 90 from smuggling eggs into the US
Reporting by USA TODAY showed that as of mid-March, eggs jumped 10.4% in February after a 15.2% rise in January, when seasonally adjusted, according to the latest consumer price index.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average U.S. city prices for a dozen large grade A eggs in recent months were:
December 2024: $4.14
January 2025: $4.95
February 2025: $5.90
Courier-Journal staff have been tracking prices for one dozen large grade A eggs. Here's a look at the recent numbers.
Feb. 5, $4.19
Feb. 12, $4.99 (limit two per shopper, according to the app)
Feb. 19, $5.49 (limit two per shopper, according to the app)
Feb. 26, $5.49 (limit two per shopper, according to the app)
March 5, $5.49
March 12, $5.49
March 19, $5.99
March 26, $4.99
Feb. 5, $3.87
Feb. 12, $3.87
Feb. 19, $4.99
Feb. 26, $5.53
March 5, $6.53
March 12, $4.97
March 19, $4.97
March 26, $4.97
Feb. 5, $5.46
Feb. 12, $5.46
Feb. 19, $5.97
Feb. 26, $5.97
March 5, $5.97
March 12, $5.97
March 19, $5.97
March 26, $4.97
The cost of eggs has largely been impacted by the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, outbreak, which has led to more than 130 million poultry across the U.S. to be affected, USA TODAY previously reported. The continuing diminishing supply coupled with steady demand has led egg prices to creep up.
USA TODAY reporter Betty Lin-Fisher contributed.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Why is egg smuggling dangerous?
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