As egg prices reach records highs, seizures at ports of entry have risen by nearly 30%, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The spike came after an outbreak of avian flu led to the slaughter of millions of chickens across the U.

The skyrocketing cost of eggs has prompted an uptick in attempts to smuggle them across the southern border. There was a 29% increase in shell eggs being confiscated at ports of entry between October 2024 and February compared with the same time period last year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Los Angeles Times reported.