First off, this is *not* an April Fools post. I really wish it were, but its not.
With Easter approaching, CBP officers will be on the lookout for a particular type of contraband coming in from Canada and Mexico. Cocaine? Heroin? Marijuana? No…the contraband we’re talking about is Kinder Surprise Eggs!
For those that aren’t familiar with them, Kinder Surprise eggs are hollow chocolate eggs that contain a yellow plastic container. Inside that container is a random toy. I grew up with these things, as did children from Mexico, Europe, and South America…but not from the USA.
It turns out that there are two reasons why the treats aren’t allowed in. For one, the US FDA labels it a choking hazard. For another, according to an article by K. Jessie Austin:
Aside from children potentially choking on the toys, the real reason Kinder Eggs are banned is the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938. This Act prohibits the embedding of non-food items completely enclosed inside food items, unless the non-edible part has a functioning value. For example a lollipop or popsicle stick is not edible but is a useful handle. This Act was originally put into place to prevent the addition of hazardous items to processed food and has never been changed.
Luckily for the American public, CBP has been keeping a watchful eye out for these potential CoD’s (Confections of Death)! From a BrownsvilleHerald.com article:
Last year, CBP officers seized more than 25,000 chocolate eggs in more than 2,000 seizures.
So be wary fellow Canadians! You don’t want to be *that* guy or gal that gets kicked out of NEXUS for accidentally bringing a contraband chocolate egg to the border.
Related Articles
CBP Warns Against Chocolate Egg Smuggling
The Brownsville Herald
Why Kinder Eggs Are Banned in the US
AssociatedContent.com
Kinder Surprises: Banned in the U.S.A.
Canada.com
Kinder Surprise
Wikipedia.com
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