The Office of Customs and Border Protection of the United States (CBP) issued a statement in which it indicates that it has detected an increase in attempts to pass prohibited agricultural products that are brought by travelers from Mexico.
“There has been a large increase in the volume of prohibited foods, such as raw eggs and raw poultry, brought in by travelers from Mexico,” said Jennifer De La O, director of field operations for CBP in San Diego.
CBP reminded the traveling public to consider that failure to report these agricultural items can result in monetary penalties up to $10,000.
In a statement, CBP points out that the ongoing outbreak of avian influenza is responsible for the increases in the prices of eggs and poultry, at the same time that it has triggered the illegal trafficking of the products.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed that this outbreak has caused the loss of more than 57 million birds, mainly chickens and turkeys, in the United States alone.
“This is the deadliest outbreak of avian influenza in recorded history, and while the current outbreak of avian influenza is believed to have initially been spread by wild birds, previous outbreaks of this and other avian diseases such as Newcastle disease have been linked to the human movement of birds and avian products,” the CBP statement said.
For his part, Héctor Mancha, Director of Operations for the El Paso, Texas Office, noted on Twitter that the El Paso Field Office has detected an increase in egg interceptions at regional ports of entry.
CBP encourages travelers to declare all agricultural items to a CBP officer upon arrival to avoid penalties. Travelers should not attempt to bring fruits, vegetables, or meats into the United States without first confirming that they are allowed. Raw eggs and poultry from Mexico are prohibited and will be confiscated.
You may also like:
– Egg prices will continue to rise at least for the first quarter of 2023, experts anticipate
– Bird flu kills 1.8 million chickens in Nebraska
– What is the biggest health danger of eating eggs every day