Why Travelers Are Banned From Bringing Mexican Bologna Into The US

Although there were folks who once considered it a lesser deli meat, today, bologna is all the rage. Some stylish restaurants like New Orleans' Turkey and the Wolf even serve gourmet bologna sandwiches. Still, the idea that someone might take the enormous risk of smuggling the processed pink lunch meat over the border from Mexico into the U.S. (for any reason) seems outlandish.

Yet, despite the fact that this is unequivocally against the law, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has confiscated hundreds of pounds of it from smugglers. So, international travelers should take note before trying to slip some in their luggage. 

Why is bringing Mexican bologna into the U.S. illegal? Pork products from foreign countries affected by certain animal diseases are strictly prohibited from entering the states to protect American livestock from the spread of illnesses like swine fever or foot-and-mouth disease, which inhibits hooved animals from putting on weight or producing milk. Outbreaks of this nature can have disastrous consequences for the animals' health, the national food supply, and the economy. For this reason, folks caught bringing banned meat over the border can be slapped with hefty fines up to $10,000.

If you've been wracking your brain and can't seem to imagine why folks would risk it all for mortadella's less-fancy cousin, there are several reasons people are trying to get bologna over the border — despite the legal implications. For one, it is far less expensive in Mexico, up to a tenth of the price. (9-pound rolls of bologna cost around 15 bucks and can be sold for upwards of $120!) That makes the resale value for bulk bologna pretty astronomical.

Not only is it cheaper, but many people think bologna made in Mexico actually tastes better, too. This comes down to a major difference in the composition of the deli meat. American bologna has, on several occasions, been deemed "mystery meat." However, the truth about our bologna is that it can contain a combination of finely ground meats, including beef, pork, chicken, and turkey. On the other hand, Mexican bologna is made mainly from pork, giving it more of a slightly sweet yet savory flavor.