A parrot was caught trying to sneak into California by a man with some seriously questionable fashion choices. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers noticed something fishy when they saw strange bulges around the man’s ankles and decided to investigate. Lo and behold, they found six parrots crammed into his boots. Talk about a unique smuggling technique!
The incident took place on April 30 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, where a 51-year-old man was trying to enter the United States from Mexico. As if the parrots in his boots weren’t enough, officers also discovered six more birds in his car, with two of them sadly already deceased. The CBP director in San Diego, Sidney Aki, emphasized the dangers of bird smuggling, citing the potential threats to native wildlife and agricultural industries due to diseases that birds can carry.
But wait, there’s more! Just a few days later, on May 4, another man was caught at the San Ysidro Port of Entry trying to smuggle 16 parakeets and three chickens into the U.S. This time, the animals were found hidden in cages under a moving blanket inside the man’s car. It seems like some people will go to great lengths to bring animals across the border illegally.
In both cases, the suspects were detained by Border Patrol agents and handed over to Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services for further probing. The seized animals are now under quarantine by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services to ensure they are not carrying any harmful diseases. It’s a wild world out there, folks. Who knew parrot smuggling was such a thriving business?
