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WIESBADEN, Germany — People thinking of sending Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs stateside this Easter should be aware of the U.S. Customs regulation banning these chocolates from import into the United States.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents will remove Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs from your baggage or any package mailed stateside,” said Mike Dean of the U.S. European Command Customs Executive Agency.
Those who ship these eggs or similar products can be fined.
Dean also added that shippers have an obligation to declare items they are mailing on the customs declaration forms to avoid penalties.
Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs and similar products are popular treats all over Europe. The hollow chocolate eggs come in a colorful foil wrapper and contain an oval plastic capsule with a small toy inside. The Consumer Product Safety Commission tested many of the toys and determined they present a choking hazard for young children.
The Food and Drug Administration also issued an import alert for Kinder Surprise eggs because they are a confectionery product with an imbedded non-nutritive object.
According to the customs website, they have made more than 3,000 seizures of Kinder chocolate eggs among the mail facilities, commercial shipments and individual travelers entering the U.S. since 2010. However, other Kinder brand candy products that do not contain the small toy can be mailed without restriction.
Contact the local U.S.military customs office for further information or visit www.cpsc.gov/cpsccpub/prerel/prhtml06/06140.html.
