Fowl play: Hundreds of live eggs smuggled as winter coats seized
U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 337 eggs that were being shipped to Alaska. (CBP)
Hundreds of live eggs that were claimed to be winter jackets were intercepted and seized by border patrol agents this week.
Big picture view:
The eggs were headed to Alaska from Germany and were passing through Ohio when U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents spotted them at Cincinnati’s Port of Entry. While the manifest said they were winter jackets, agriculture specialists determined they were hatching eggs—337 of them—but did not find the proper paperwork for them.
What they're saying:
"Our nation’s food supply is constantly at risk from diseases not known to occur in the United States," said Port of Cincinnati Director Eric Zizelmani. "These interceptions highlight the vigilance and dedication our CBP agriculture specialists demonstrate daily."
Why you should care:
Hatching eggs from countries dealing with highly pathogenic avian influenza are prohibited from coming into the U.S. by the Department of Agriculture. They are highly regulated because they can carry Newcastle disease, as well as avian influenza.
Dig deeper:
Hatching eggs span all avian species, from poultry to game birds to racing pigeons and more. The CBP statement explained, "If there is a market for a live bird, there is a potential for someone attempting to import hatching eggs."
After arriving, the hatching eggs would be incubated and hatched, and the baby birds raised for their intended purposes.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a U.S. Customs and Border Protection statement. This story was reported from Orlando.