U.S. border brokers have made extra seizures of eggs and egg-based merchandise than of fentanyl for the reason that starting of this 12 months, official statistics present.
In accordance with data launched by U.S. Customs and Border Safety (CBP), officers made 134 interceptions of the lethal drug in January and February 2025, in comparison with 197 the earlier 12 months.
However that was nothing in comparison with the three,254 egg-related seizures throughout the identical interval — greater than twice as many as the identical two months in 2024.
The figures, first reported by Canadian business news website The Logic, solely observe the variety of “seizure occasions” logged by CBP for every kind of contraband, relatively than the precise quantity. The latter comparability will not be attainable as a result of CBP solely releases the load of medicine it has seized, not the load of agricultural merchandise.
Nonetheless, it illustrates the rising scale of egg smuggling as prices soared as high as $8.05 per dozen on common because of avian flu outbreaks and, allegedly, price gouging by the highly concentrated poultry industry.
It additionally undermines the rationale for Donald Trump’s commerce battle in opposition to Mexico and Canada, which he claims is necessary to stop fentanyl flooding into the U.S. however which opponents say will elevate the worth of on a regular basis merchandise. (Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reported that less than 1 percent of fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border comes from Canada.)
A CBP spokesperson told Newsweek that there had been a 36 p.c 12 months on 12 months enhance in “eggs being detained” at ports of entry through the 5 months ending with February.
Prices have since dropped from their peak in late February, apparently as a result of inflation-weary shoppers are unwilling to shell out at such excessive tags.
Source link