13 live parrots found stuffed in duffel bags at California border crossing, photo shows

An attempt to smuggle 13 live parrots stuffed in duffel bags into the United States was foiled by agents at a San Diego border crossing, federal officials reported.

Officers stopped a 26-year-old man driving a 2010 sedan at the San Ysidro port of entry from Mexico on June 16, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said in a news release.

A search turned up 13 live yellow-headed parrots in two duffel bags in the trunk, the release said.

Officers detained the driver and turned him over to Homeland Security and the Fish and Wildlife Service investigators, officials said.

The parrots were placed in a “secure and safe area” to be quarantined for avian diseases, the release said.

Border patrol agents intercepted an average of 240 pests a day at U.S. crossings in 2022, officials said.

“CBP enforces hundreds of laws at the border for more than 40 different government agencies, in order to help stop smuggling attempts like these which can lead to trafficking of possibly endangered species,” said Sidney Aki, director of field operations in San Diego. “Smugglers attempt to deceive CBP officers with no consideration for the health and safety of the animals.”

The San Ysidro border crossing is the busiest in the United States, handling nearly 26 million vehicle passengers in 2019, Mexperience reported.

This story was originally published June 29, 2023 at 7:58 AM with the headline "13 live parrots found stuffed in duffel bags at California border crossing, photo shows."