US Customs and Border Protection Seized 39 Hatching Eggs in Louisville

The US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) officials seized 39 hatching eggs in Louisville, Kentucky, between a brief period of March 6 to March 20. According to a press release published by the agency, these eggs were confiscated in three separate shipments, two of which were heading towards New York and Nevada from Turkey and one shipment en route to Costa Rica from Romania. 

Hatching eggs with live animals is highly regulated inside the US since these smuggled eggs are a significant health risk. 

Health Risk

“Hatching eggs are all avian species, to include poultry, game birds, racing pigeons and other birds… if there is a market for a live bird, someone will try to import hatching eggs for them. These live eggs are shipped to the US for hatching or production purposes. These eggs are commonly destined to be incubated, hatched and then raised for agricultural purposes. Hatching eggs fall under the regulations for live animals (9CRF) and are highly regulated because they can carry Newcastle disease and or avian flu (HPAI),” stated the press release published by the CPB.

These eggs contain live chicks of various species of birds that have a market demand. In 2024, Louisville CBP agriculture specialist intercepted 25 shipments containing 519 eggs from countries like Turkey, Belgium, Romania, and Singapore. The shipments were headed to locations inside the US and abroad.