LOUISVILLE, Ky. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists (CBPAS) in Louisville said they've seized three shipments of hatching eggs over the last three weeks. 

CBP said the three shipments arrived March 6, March 16 and March 19, and 39 eggs were seized. The first two shipments, both from Turkey, were headed to New York and Nevada while the latest shipment arrived from Romania and was en route to Costa Rica.

Hatching eggs are all avian species to include poultry, game birds, racing pigeons and other birds; the live eggs are shipped to the U.S. for hatching or reproduction purposes, CBP said. The eggs are often destined to be incubated, hatched and then raised. Hatching eggs fall under the regulations for live animals and are highly regulated because they can carry Newcastle disease and/or Avian Influenza, CBP added.

"Our nation's food supply is constantly at risk to diseases not known to occur in the United States," said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Chicago Field Office director of field operations. "These interceptions highlight the vigilance and dedication our CBP Agriculture Specialists demonstrate daily. They ensure the United States is safe from harmful diseases, which could affect our food supply."

Louisville specialists seized 25 shipments containing 519 eggs in 2024, CBP said. They arrived from Turkey, Belgium, Romania and Singapore and were headed to both U.S. locations and other countries. 

CBP screens international travelers and cargo and said it searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds, pests and other potentially harmful products.