As consumers grapple with soaring egg prices, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported a surge in individuals attempting to smuggle eggs across the border from Mexico. The CBP's San Diego Field Office revealed a 158% increase in egg interceptions since the fiscal year of 2024. A CBP spokesperson disclosed that there has been a 29% rise in eggs being detained at ports of entry this fiscal year compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year (October 2023 – February 2024).
The spike in egg prices can be attributed to an outbreak of avian flu affecting egg-laying hens in the US since 2022. Over the past three years, approximately 166 million birds have been impacted by the deadly avian flu, according to the US Agriculture Department.
