Two Seattle men say they spent more than two hours in a detention center at the Canadian border after U.S. border agents discovered illegal chocolate eggs in their car.
Brandon Loo and Christopher Sweeney told KOMO they decided to bring home some treats for friends and family during a recent trip to Vancouver, British Columbia. They bought Kinder Eggs — chocolate eggs with a toy inside.
The two men say border guards searched their car and said the eggs are illegal in the United States because young children could choke on the small plastic toys. Importing them can lead to a potentially hefty fine.
Sweeney says one border guard said they could be fined $2,500 per egg. The pair said they could have faced a $15,000 fine.
Sweeney says the bust was a waste of his time and the agents' time. The men eventually got off with a warning.
Mike Milne with U.S. Customs and Border Protection told a Canadian paper that officers do not usually fine travelers for carrying the chocolates, but they do normally confiscate them. Roughly 60,000 Kinder eggs were seized last year.
"Kinder eggs are prohibited just like narcotics are prohibited," he was quoted as said. "Our officers, if they encounter prohibited stuff, they're subject to seizure."
The agency warned on its website around Easter that the treats can't be imported legally.
Saturday, May 18 2013 4:30 PM EDT2013-05-18 20:30:43 GMT
Witnesses in southwestern Virginia said a car drove into a crowd at a parade Saturday and hurt several people, but the nature of their injuries wasn't immediately known.
Witnesses in southwestern Virginia said a car drove into a crowd at a parade Saturday and hurt several people, but the nature of their injuries wasn't immediately known.
Lawmakers are ready to question the ousted head of the Internal Revenue Service as Congress holds its first hearing on the tougher scrutiny the IRS gave tea party and other conservative groups that applied for...
Senior Treasury officials were made aware in June 2012 that investigators were looking into complaints from tea party groups that they were being harassed by the Internal Revenue Service, a Treasury inspector general said...
Friday, May 17 2013 4:38 PM EDT2013-05-17 20:38:41 GMT
DOD photo
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Friday ordered the military to recertify all 25,000 people involved in programs designed to prevent and respond to sexual assault.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Friday ordered the military to recertify all 25,000 people involved in programs designed to prevent and respond to sexual assault.
Friday, May 17 2013 4:17 PM EDT2013-05-17 20:17:46 GMT
A Humvee carrying six Navy SEALs and two other sailors overturned during a training exercise at Fort Knox in Kentucky, killing one of the SEALs and injuring the others, military officials said Friday.
A Humvee carrying six Navy SEALs and two other sailors overturned during a training exercise at Fort Knox in Kentucky, killing one of the SEALs and injuring the others, military officials said Friday.
Friday, May 17 2013 11:20 AM EDT2013-05-17 15:20:51 GMT
Remember when reading their diary or snooping through their drawers was good enough? Online and in real life, more and more parents are setting up elaborate surveillance systems.
Remember when reading their diary or snooping through their drawers was good enough? Online and in real life, more and more parents are setting up elaborate surveillance systems.
Friday, May 17 2013 11:04 AM EDT2013-05-17 15:04:49 GMT
(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
The Treasury Department's top investigator for tax matters is telling Congress that he is still investigating whether outside political pressure caused the Internal Revenue Service to improperly target conservative groups.
The Treasury Department's top investigator for tax matters is telling Congress that he is still investigating whether outside political pressure caused the Internal Revenue Service to improperly target conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status.
Friday, May 17 2013 6:46 AM EDT2013-05-17 10:46:58 GMT
The numbers sum up the frenzy that has taken over the Golden State since it joined the madness over Powerball, which has seen its jackpot soar to $550 million for Saturday's drawing.
The numbers sum up the frenzy that has taken over the Golden State since it joined the madness over Powerball, which has seen its jackpot soar to $550 million for Saturday's drawing.
Thursday, May 16 2013 2:18 PM EDT2013-05-16 18:18:19 GMT
An Idaho man convicted of breaking into a Boise zoo and brutally beating to death a Patas monkey will spend up to a year in state prison, where he'll take part in a treatment program.
An Idaho man convicted of breaking into a Boise zoo and brutally beating to death a Patas monkey will spend up to a year in state prison, where he'll take part in a treatment program.
Friday, May 17 2013 4:38 PM EDT2013-05-17 20:38:41 GMT
DOD photo
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Friday ordered the military to recertify all 25,000 people involved in programs designed to prevent and respond to sexual assault.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Friday ordered the military to recertify all 25,000 people involved in programs designed to prevent and respond to sexual assault.
Friday, May 17 2013 4:17 PM EDT2013-05-17 20:17:46 GMT
A Humvee carrying six Navy SEALs and two other sailors overturned during a training exercise at Fort Knox in Kentucky, killing one of the SEALs and injuring the others, military officials said Friday.
A Humvee carrying six Navy SEALs and two other sailors overturned during a training exercise at Fort Knox in Kentucky, killing one of the SEALs and injuring the others, military officials said Friday.
The Connecticut Senate has passed legislation that will allow local and regional school boards to award honorary high school diplomas to certain Vietnam War veterans.
The Connecticut Senate has passed legislation that will allow local and regional school boards to award honorary high school diplomas to certain Vietnam War veterans.
Timely and adequate health care is needed to help U.S. military personnel and their families readjust to life after deployment, an Institute of Medicine report finds.
Timely and adequate health care is needed to help U.S. military personnel and their families readjust to life after deployment, an Institute of Medicine report finds.
U.S. military personnel who were the victims of sexual or physical assault as adults are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts or actions, according to a new study.
U.S. military personnel who were the victims of sexual or physical assault as adults are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts or actions, according to a new study.
