U.S. border authorities are grappling with an unprecedented wave of egg smuggling from Mexico as American consumers seek relief from record prices exceeding 10 U.S. dollars per dozen.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows a 36 percent nationwide increase in intercepted cases, with the San Diego-Tijuana border region experiencing a nearly 160-percent spike.
The price disparity has created a thriving black market. While American shoppers face 10-15 U.S. dollars per dozen for ordinary eggs, just across the border in Tijuana, the same dozen sells for about 3 U.S. dollars. And bulk purchases offer even greater savings, with 30 eggs costing under 6 U.S. dollars, less than a quarter of U.S. prices.
Border patrol agents report finding eggs concealed throughout vehicles, under seats, wrapped in blankets, and even stashed beside spare tires. Each seizure carries a minimum 300 U.S.-dollar fine, as Mexican poultry products remain prohibited due to differing food safety standards.
The crisis stems from multiple factors including the worst avian flu outbreak in U.S. history, which has devastated poultry flocks nationwide.
Compounding the shortage, ongoing trade policies have further inflated food costs, squeezing household budgets already strained by broader inflation.
Last year, the U.S. imported 87.5 million U.S. dollars' worth of eggs legally from countries including Canada, the UK and China. But with domestic prices showing no signs of stabilizing, authorities expect the unusual smuggling trend to continue along the nearly 2,000-mile border, challenging agents more accustomed to intercepting drugs than breakfast staples.
Egg smuggling surges at US-Mexico border amid record prices
Egg smuggling surges at US-Mexico border amid record prices
Egg smuggling surges at US-Mexico border amid record prices
From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.
At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.
Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.
"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.
"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.
Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.
According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.
Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.
Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.
At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.
"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.
At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.
"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.
Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction
