Some of those trying to sneak the sausages across the border these days are people who’ve lost their jobs during the pandemic, says Vasquez. Mexican bologna has turned up across Texas and the rest of the country. La Mejor Texas Meat Shop in El Paso offers customers a taste of Mexico in the type of cuts of beef, house marinades and Ranchera music it plays. “Say anywhere from $30-40.00 to say further north up to $80 for one single roll,” according to Vasquez. The price of a roll at least doubles once it crosses the border. While some are for personal consumption, larger quantities carefully concealed in cars and trucks are smuggled for profit. “They call them chubs those round rolls,” she said. The contraband in the form of red-colored rolls turn up time again.

In the more than 20 years Vasquez has inspected food products at border crossings, Mexican bologna has persisted as one of the most popular prohibited food items. They smuggle it across because they’re able to sell it per se under the table,” said CBP Supervisory agriculture specialist in El PasoKatherine Vasquez. “It’s loved and they crave it for the most part. But that doesn’t stop people from trying to bring the meat into the country. The bologna is not allowed across the border because it’s made with pork and could introduce a foreign animal disease into the U.S.

“I love Chimex and it’s very frustrating because we can’t cross it either,” she said. She laments she can’t buy Mexican bologna at any in El Paso or any other store in the U.S. She was at the meat market buying dinner for her family including steaks and some short ribs. Miriam Ortiz, a loyal shopper at La Mejor Texas Meat shop understands the popularity of the lunchmeat.

Smuggling during the pandemic also includes a comfort food that is contraband Mexican bologna. customs and Border Protection officers continue to seize large loads of drugs on the Texas-Mexico border.

Salchichichon chimex