A U.S. border officer stands near a security booth. A Winnipeg woman was nearly fined $300 for having a Kinder Surprise chocolate egg in her vehicle while cross the border. Kinder eggs are considered contraband by U.S. authorities. (Dave Chidley/Canadian Press)

By CBC News

A Winnipeg woman was warned and nearly fined $300 after U.S. customs officials found a Kinder Surprise chocolate egg in her vehicle, which is considered contraband south of the border.

U.S. authorities have banned the popular treats because they come with a plastic toy inside that could, if eaten, choke a small child.

"It's just a chocolate egg," Lind Bird said, who was recently stopped at the U.S. border and selected for a random search. "And they were making a big deal. They said, 'If you were caught with this across the border you would get charged a $300 fine,'" she said.

The U.S. takes catching illegal Kinder candy seriously, judging by the number of them they've confiscated in the last year. Officials said they've seized more than 25,000 of the treats in 2,000 separate seizures.

A comprehensive list of items Canadians can't import into the U.S. can be found here.

Read more.

Have you ever had trouble crossing the U.S. border or unintentionally brought an item from Canada that's restricted in the U.S.? Share your stories in the comments below.

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