Surprise! Easter egg hunt continues at Canada-U.S. border

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. CUSTOMS AND
BORDER PROTECTION

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Don’t be “surprised” by Kinder Eggs: Seizures double

DETROIT - As Easter approaches, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reminds international travelers not to bring any Kinder Surprise eggs into the U.S.  

Also known as Kinder Eggs, these chocolate treats may be cute and seasonal but they are too dangerous to children to be imported legally into the U.S.   The problem is the small plastic toy inside the Kinder Egg.  

While sold in many countries, this product is banned from the U.S. because young children can choke on it.

Last fiscal year 2011, CBP seized more than 60,000 Kinder Eggs from travelers’ baggage and from international mail shipments.  

This was more than twice the number seized in fiscal year 2010.  

The product violates both Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.  

As the U.S. government’s law-enforcement agency at the border, CBP is charged with enforcing the regulations of both agencies to keep safety hazards away from American consumers.

CBP works very closely with CPSC, FDA and other agencies at the Import Safety Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC) in Washington, DC.  

The agencies share information to target high-risk commercial shipments for examination, sampling, and testing.  

Working together at CTAC, these partner agencies are able to coordinate and streamline federal efforts to address import safety issues, including the illegal importation of Kinder Eggs.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry.

CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

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