3 days ago
Authorities make disturbing discovery after searching man's vehicle at US-Mexico border: 'We are committed to holding accountable ...'
In San Diego, authorities arrested a man for smuggling protected birds from Mexico into the U.S., according to a report by Patch. Twelve orange-fronted parakeets were concealed among his belongings, stuffed inside his boots and between the seats of his car.
Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office reported that Mexican citizen Naim Lajud Libien was caught trying to smuggle a dozen parakeets across the U.S.-Mexico border at the Otay Mesa port of entry in San Diego.
Of the 12 birds, at least two have died, one that officials believe to have a broken neck, and the rest are in "poor health." When authorities found the parakeets, the birds' feet were tied, which may have caused some harm.
Orange-fronted parakeets are a protected bird species native to western Mexico and Costa Rica. In order to be legally transported into the U.S., the birds must be quarantined before crossing the border.
Libien faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for attempting to smuggle the parakeets into the U.S.
The animals being trafficked are often held captive in small, awful conditions, resulting in injuries and even death. Cases like this not only endanger the animals being trafficked but also the entire ecosystem. When species are illegally transported into a new country, they can become invasive and disrupt the balance of the food chain.
Though it may not seem like it, biodiversity impacts our everyday lives. When an invasive species throws off an ecosystem, native species can decline, threatening the pollinators that protect our food supply.
Libien faces "charges of importation contrary to law," Patch reported.
"Smuggling at the border takes many forms, but the tragic impact on animals forced into such perilous conditions is deeply troubling," U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said in a statement, per Patch. "We are committed to holding accountable those who endanger wildlife and public health through these reckless and inhumane smuggling practices."
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