Published
4 weeks agoon
By
Luna Wilder
A sweet, sticky snack has found itself in the center of an international smuggling scandal, proving that sometimes, crime really does pay – in Fruit Roll-Ups.
Thanks to a TikTok trend that has revived the popularity of the classic candy, people are going to great lengths to get their hands on them, even if it means breaking the law.
On May 1, Mako, an Israeli news outlet, reported that two Americans were stopped at customs at Ben Gurion International Airport with four suitcases chock-full of fruity contraband. Each passenger had two suitcases filled to the brim with cellophane-wrapped Fruit Roll-Ups.
In a video embedded in the report, customs officers can be seen rummaging through the suitcases, uncovering layer after layer of the fruit leather-style candy. One man, questioned about the sugary haul, claimed that the hundreds of Fruit Roll-Ups were for relatives in Israel.
An American couple was caught trying to smuggle 375 POUNDS of Fruit Roll Ups into the State of Israel after prices skyrocketed once the snack became part of a viral TikTok trend.
Did you pack your bags yourselves and also are they full of exclusively candy? pic.twitter.com/GtGh76Z9n9— Amy Spiro (@AmySpiro) May 1, 2023
Amy Spiro, a journalist at the Times of Israel, tweeted another video showing the suitcases bursting with the candy, writing: “An American couple was caught trying to smuggle 375 POUNDS of Fruit Roll-Ups into the State of Israel after prices skyrocketed once the snack became part of a viral TikTok trend.”
But that wasn’t the end of the Fruit Roll-Up crime spree. On May 4, Ynetnews reported that the Israeli Tax Authority had intercepted 10 shipments of Fruit Roll-Ups sent through the mail.
Destined for different addresses in Israel, these boxes contained a “commercial quantity” of the candy, subject to taxes and fees by law. The largest shipment weighed in at 38 pounds, and a total of 347 pounds was seized across all the shipments.
רשות המיסים: נתפסו 157 ק"ג רולאפס שהוברחו ב-10 משלוחי דואר שוניםhttps://t.co/ek1DrmhXKF pic.twitter.com/C0doRyPoeb— ynet עדכוני (@ynetalerts) May 4, 2023
Combined with the airport bust, customs officials confiscated a staggering 650 pounds of the sugary snack, according to the Times of Israel.
So, what’s the deal with the sudden demand for Fruit Roll-Ups? It all began when a TikTok trend involving wrapping ice cream in the candy treat went viral. This sweet sensation has since made its way to Israel, where stores are selling out and merchants are charging $5 to $6 for a single Fruit Roll-Up.
Despite the popularity, the Israeli Health Ministry has issued a warning against eating the snack, citing potential health risks such as weight gain, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and dental caries. They even offered a healthier alternative: cucumber rolls.
One thing’s for sure: this sticky situation is a prime example of how far people are willing to go for a taste of nostalgia.
And as the Fruit Roll-Up black market continues to flourish, we can’t help but wonder: what’s next, an international ring of Gushers smugglers?
Source: TODAY.com
Old Man
May 11, 2023 at 10:16 am
Smuggling Fruit Roll-Ups?
Seriously, is this news? Who knew (and who cares?)?
maria
May 11, 2023 at 4:42 pm
No one stops the drug cartels only people with Candy.