2 Seattle men stopped at border for illegal candy

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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Thursday, July 19, 2012