Japanese carrying chicken eggs prevented from entering RP

Customs officials at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) stopped a Japanese national from bringing fresh chicken eggs into the country on Friday.

Yoshimi Kanno, who arrived via Japanese Airlines (JAL) Flight 741, was not allowed to enter the country without surrendering two boxes of eggs which he tried to hide in his luggage.

Customs officials seized the goods by virtue of an order banning the importation of any poultry product from countries affected by the bird flu or avian influenza virus like Japan.

The Veterinary Quarantine Services (VQS) confiscated the eggs and immediately ordered the proper disposal of the seemingly harmless goods.

Customs Supervisor Antonio Veses said Kanno tried to hide the boxes among his personal belongings.

"We do not let anything pass here," he said after turning over the goods to VQS officer-in-charge Dr. Simeon Amorao Jr. and veterinary quarantine officer Nilo Crystal.

The boxes yielded 160 pieces of fresh eggs, which officials said, were for consuming and not for hatching but still dangerous.

Crystal said the Japanese national was not able to present a Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) permit, was carrying a prohibited product, showed no health certificates, and the act was in clear violation of Department of Agriculture (DA) Order No. 18.

Morever, the entry of imported poultry products from countries where there are cases of avian flu is also on a temporary ban based on a memorandum issued also by the DA last Jan. 16, 2007.

Crystal said the ban covers poultry meat, day-old chicks and eggs.