TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agriculture specialists at the Area Port of Nogales have made a significant seizure of protected birds.
Port personnel inspected a passenger vehicle where they discovered 27 Amazon parrots being smuggled into the U.S. through the Mariposa Crossing. These birds are protected by (CITES) the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. In total, two (2) lilac-crowned Amazon parrots (Amazona finschi, CITES I) and (25) white-fronted Amazon parrots (Amazona albifrons, CITES II) were concealed inside a crate, covered by a dark cloth in the passenger seating area. The birds are valued at $800-$3000 each. Parrots and other birds can also be a source of various animal diseases, some of which are transmittable to humans. The case was turned over to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service which has pursued a criminal case against the subjects involved.
