Border police on Sunday confiscated 54,000 illegal eggs that were being smuggled into Jerusalem by an Arab driver from Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria. The eggs were inside a non-marked truck that is usually used to transport dirt.
The border police officers stopped the truck after noticing that the driver was behaving in a suspicious manner. The driver and his companion, noticing the officers massing, attempted to speed up and escape, but police were able to stop him.
Surrounding the truck, the officers demanded that the driver open the back of the vehicle. After initial resistance, the driver did so, and the officers discovered the eggs. The eggs were not stamped with an inspection mark or with a fake one, indicating that they had not passed a veterinary health check. It is illegal to sell eggs without such a stamp in Israel.
“The egg business is a lucrative one, and it tempts smugglers to attempt to break through all barriers and supply eggs to grocery stores and markets. Stores too want these eggs in order to reduce costs,” the statement added.
The two smugglers, Jerusalem residents, are being held in the case.