National Public Radio reports that “as the price of eggs continues to rise, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are reporting a spike in people attempting to bring eggs into the country illegally from Mexico, where prices are lower.
“The jump in sightings of the contraband product can be best explained by the high price of eggs in the U.S., which soared 60% in December over a year earlier. A combination of the deadliest bird flu outbreak in U.S. history, compounded by inflationary pressure and supply-chain snags, is to blame for the high prices shoppers are seeing at the supermarket.”
The story says that “a 30-count carton of eggs in Juárez, Mexico, according to Border Report, sells for $3.40. In some parts of the U.S., such as California, just a dozen eggs are now priced as high as $7.37.” Which is some people are “risking thousands of dollars in fines.”
NPR says that in many cases, people show up at the border and are open about the fact that they are trying to b ring eggs into the USA, not realizing that it is prohibited; in such cases, the eggs are confiscated and the people are allowed to go their way. When people try to smuggle them into the US, the eggs are confiscated and a $300 fine is assessed, though the fines can go higher for repeat offenders.
KC’s View:
The unexpected result has been that the US Customs and Border Protection Service has been able to offer a new employee benefit – free omelettes, every day.
The post <strong>At The Border, The Yolk Is On The Smugglers</strong> appeared first on MNB.
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