Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
21h ago

San Diego Man Faces Federal Charges for Smuggling 17 Protected Birds

Ricardo Alonzo is accused of attempting to smuggle exotic parakeets and parrots across the U.S.-Mexico border, leading to animal deaths and biosecurity concerns.

Parrot chicks, some that appeared to young to walk, were discovered May 4 being smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. (Courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California)

Overview

  • Ricardo Alonzo, 26, was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on May 4 for allegedly smuggling 17 exotic birds hidden under his car seat.
  • The smuggled birds included Burrowing Parakeets, Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots, and Red-Lored Amazon Parrots, two of which died in transit.
  • Alonzo allegedly claimed he was transporting two chickens and lacked import documentation for the birds, which were not sedated and made noises during inspection.
  • The surviving birds were transferred to a USDA quarantine facility to mitigate risks of disease transmission, including avian influenza and psittacosis.
  • Alonzo faces charges under Title 18 U.S.C. §545, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, as authorities continue to investigate this and a similar recent smuggling case.