Officers find parrots in man's pants
Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 14:20
City Parrots in Aratinga canicularis - Orange-fronted Parakeet, Smuggling, Wild bird trade

Half Moon Conures getting food. Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionDEL RIO, Texas -- U.S. Customs officers found a bevy of baby birds at the Del Rio Port of Entry.

Around 3:00 p.m. Sunday, the officers were inspecting a taxi that had arrived from Mexico. After questioning the passenger about what he had in his pockets, they found he had two baby Half Moon Conures stuffed in the pockets of his pants. A third parrot was found hidden in the man's backpack. Officers also seized 56 blades used in cockfights from the man's luggage.

The man, a 33-year-old Comanche, Texas resident, was assessed fines totaling $2,680.00.

The Department of Agriculture now has the two-month-old parrots.

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