On Tuesday, federal charges were brought against a man who is accused of attempting to bring seven parrots into the United States through the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Juandaniel Medina, who is 24 years old and makes his home in the city of Lindsay in Tulare County, purchased the birds for the sum of $700 and then attempted to import them into the United States with the intention of breeding and reselling them.
According to the prosecution, the birds were discovered in a cardboard box that was attached to the passenger floorboard of his vehicle.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, the parrots, six of which were determined to be Red-Lored Amazon Parrots, have subsequently been sent to a quarantine facility that is operated by the United States Department of Agriculture.
This is the third lawsuit that has been brought in San Diego in recent months against individuals who are accused of attempting to smuggle protected exotic birds over border crossings in San Diego.
A man from San Diego is said to have attempted to cross through the San Ysidro Port of Entry with seventeen exotic birds in his vehicle.
The birds were found in four bags that were placed underneath one of the seats of his vehicle. According to the prosecution, two of the birds took their own lives.
Within the month of April, federal prosecutors in San Diego filed charges against a Mexican national who, according to the allegations, attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry while carrying a dozen parakeets stuffed within his boots and inside the seat of his vehicle.
At the time of the alleged smuggling incident, each of the birds was reportedly tied at their feet and wrapped in pantyhose, according to the prosecution.
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It has been reported by the United States Attorney’s Office that out of the twelve Orange Fronted Parakeets that are protected, at least two of the birds have passed away, a third of them may have suffered a broken neck, and the remaining birds look to be in terrible health.
The three individuals are being charged with illegal importation, which is a violation of the law.
“The illicit parrot trade reflects a broader crisis in wildlife protection — where profit outweighs preservation,” San Diego U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon stated. “Bird smuggling is not a victimless crime. These animals suffer, and the consequences to public health and the environment can be catastrophic.”
