Contraband?
A cross-border kerfuffle over a popular chocolate treat nearly cost a Winnipeg woman a $300 fine and saddled her with a bureaucratic headache.
Lind Bird was recently stopped at the U.S. border and selected for a random search of her vehicle. She was warned she could have faced a fine after the customs official found — and seized — her $2 Kinder Surprise egg as illegal contraband.
Bird learned U.S. authorities have banned the candy because they come with a plastic toy inside that could, if eaten, choke a small child.
Isn’t it amazing. We don’t seem to be capable of stopping the flow of illegal drugs across our border, but we are, where it concerns illegal chocolate eggs.
Another reason to down size our government.
I haven’t seen a Kinder Egg since I lived in Germany… do they even sell those here in the U.S.?
Is it just American kids that are stupid enough to eat the toy along with the chocolate?
I lived in Europe for years and don’t ever recall hearing it mentioned as a major cause of death.
Illegal? I bought one of these 2 weeks ago for my daughter here in Boston. I’m confused by the “illegal” statement.
The Tiki
Its totally appropriate to protect our children from all “known” hazards as balanced against the competing good and alternatives. The bad of a choking hazard is immediately the controlling concern as the benefit of having candy is zero and the alternative of toy free chocolate is readily available.
The law is obscure though and the lady should have been informed and given the choice of eating it or throwing it away.
THEN her transgression should be entered into the mainframe and the cloud and if she or anyone seperated from her by two degrees should be fined on the second violation.
Thats compassionate conservatism at work.
Nuff said.
#4 Blues,
Yes, American kids are dumb, stupid, slutty and most of the time useless bags of meat. Why do you think the USA has TONS of “for the children” oriented NGOs?
And if you think that the girls are smarter than the boys think again; MTV’s Teen Mom reality show is so popular teenage girls are letting themselves go pregnant just for an audition with that show.
#3 – I didn’t think so, they are banned because of the millions of children every year that die from eating the toys.
In Chicago a bunch of european stores still sell the kinder candy with the toy inside the egg.
Millions? I’m sure its in the billions.
#10 – yes but the government and the choco-industrial-complex covers up most of the deaths.
Nobody–oh for the quick edit bar? Covers up the deaths in rich creamy chocolate, and I must assume those aren’t “toys” at the center either.
My god, soylent green is people!!!
Like you didn’t see that coming a mile away.
Ha, ha. ((It’s coming.))
Read the list of banned items. It’s a hoot. Here’s from the description for absinthe:
“The absinthe content must be “thujone free” (that is, it must contain less than 100 parts per million of thujone); the term “absinthe” cannot be the brand name; the term “absinthe” cannot stand alone on the label; and the artwork and/or graphics cannot project images of hallucinogenic, psychotropic or mind-altering effects. Absinthe imported in violation of these regulations is subject to seizure.”
Thank you, US Gov for protecting me from seeing those dangerous images that would immediately make me want to down a whole bottle so I could get that high.
The description for game and hunting trophies makes it clear the government is not fundamentalist Christian in that it refers to nonhuman primates; a clear reference to evolution. Interestingly, they make no mention of human trophies.
“Nonhuman primate trophy materials may require a permit from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prospective importers of nonhuman primate trophy materials from nonhuman primates should review the permit requirements and complete an application form, following the Guidance for Individuals Wishing to Import Non-Human Primate Trophies, Skins or Skulls.”
3 Guyver,
Yes. Kinder eggs are available all over the world. Except in Sarah Palin’s USA. In that country, Kinder Eggs are a communist/fascist/European ploy to turn American men into girls… or maybe into Alfred Perssons…
5
There may be a small region in the area of Boston that has an exemption for bringing in foreign goods. In general, it is illegal to sell a piece of chocolate with a toy inside in the freedom loving U.S.A.
“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.”
America is no more. It’s just a country for Westboro baptists and psychos like Alfred E Newman.
Unc Dave==thanks for revealing an outrageous taking of our freedoms. What “non-slave” would put up with not being allowed to import mounted human primate trophies? As long as the remains are not the product of some crime, why not have the most precious reminders right there over the fireplace?
Does remind me of an article decrying the complexity of the law that all “citizens” are presumed to know and held to that standard while cops are forgiven violations of the same laws all the time.
Its all a balance. And balances oscillate.
I think you misread that Bobbo. Human trophies are completely acceptable (they add a nice touch of authenticity to Halloween decorations). It’s non-human primate trophies that are restricted. Which, given the lack of indigenous great ape species in the continental U.S, makes procuring an authentic gorilla skull unbearably difficult. It’s a nearly unconscionable violation of our basic human freedoms.
Remember when, in the massive expansion of government after 9/11, conservatives told us we had nothing to worry about if we weren’t terrorists?
Welcome to Barack Obama’s America, Lind. Heckuva job there, Barry.
I, too, have smuggled Kinder eggs from Abbotsford B.C. to Seattle. The chocolate is OK but the kits inside are miniature pieces of German craftsmanship and range between cute and ingenious.
I have seen them for sale in Seattle-area Asian markets.