March 14: BAFRA officials in Phuentsholing seized about 50 boxes of eggs from a businessman who runs a bakery in Paro on Monday, March 10.

BAFRA officials said the eggs were hidden inside a DCM truck by covering them with flour.

There were more 50 boxes of eggs worth about Nu. 12,500. The man was fined Nu. 25,000 double the cost of the products he was trying to smuggle into the country.

Import of eggs and other poultry products has been banned after a bird flu outbreak was reported in the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal. The ban was introduced to prevent bird flu from crossing border into Bhutan.

BAFRA officials said because of the bird fu outbreak, eggs are sold at much cheaper rates in the border town of Jaigaon in India. They said it will be risky to buy eggs and other poultry products because of the bird flu outbreak.