SD man charged in alleged attempt to smuggle 17 exotic birds at San Ysidro border crossing

One cage contained undeclared parakeets and parrots Photo courtesy of U S Customs and Margin Protection A San Diego man who allegedly tried to smuggle exotic birds across the U S -Mexico frontier was facing federal charges Tuesday Ricardo Alonzo is accused of attempting to cross through the San Ysidro Port of Entry on May with Burrowing Parakeets five Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots and two Red-Lored Amazon Parrots in four bags underneath one of his car s seats The two Red-Lored Amazon Parrot chicks died but the other surviving birds were transported to a U S Department of Agriculture-managed quarantine facility according to the U S Attorney s Office Alonzo allegedly described CBP officers that he only had two chickens to declare according to a comment of facts included in his criminal complaint The report indicates Alonzo did not have documentation permitting the birds importation nor was it likely that the birds were in the wagon unbeknownst to him because they weren t under sedation and were making noises while Alonzo was at secondary inspection The alleged smuggling attempt is the second contemporary affair communicated by federal prosecutors of suspected bird smuggling through a San Diego port of entry Last month the U S Attorney s Office in San Diego publicized charges against a Mexican citizen who allegedly attempted to cross the edge with a dozen parakeets stuffed inside his boots and inside the seat of his car Prosecutors revealed each of the birds were tied at their feet and wrapped in panty hose during the alleged smuggling affair According to the U S Attorney s Office among the protected Orange Fronted Parakeets revealed during the April alleged smuggling attempt through the Otay Mesa Port of Entry at least two of the birds died a third suffered a accomplishable broken neck and others appeared in poor medical Both men are facing charges of importation contrary to law