A federal agent holds a Cuban melodious finch that was among 11 birds smuggled into Miami International Airport from Havana Tuesday, Oct. Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, according to a criminal complaint.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
For the second time in three days, U.S. Customs agents have caught a man smuggling live birds hidden in his clothing from Cuba into Miami International Airport, according to court records.
In both instances, the birds were hidden in taped plastic tubes with breathing mesh on the ends that were concealed in garments beneath the men’s clothing, according to two criminal complaints.
READ MORE: Man smuggled live birds in his underpants from Cuba to Miami, feds say
On Tuesday, Roberto Perez Quincosa arrived at MIA on an Eastern Air Express flight from Havana. When going through Customs, he told agents he had nothing to declare. However, an agent patted him down and found a “belt-like concealment garment” under his clothing containing the tubes, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service complaint.
Each tube contained live birds — five Cuban bullfinches and six Cuban melodious finches, agents said.
According to the complaint, Quincosa agreed to speak with agents without a lawyer present and told them he planned to breed the birds and sell them in the U.S. for between $100 and $120 each.
On Sunday, 40-year-old Alberto Hernandez Castillo arrived at MIA on a World Atlantic flight from Havana and, like Quincosa, went through Customs saying he had nothing to declare. And, like with Quincosa, a Customs agent patted Castillo down and found multiple plastic tubes covered in tape concealed under his pants.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection photo shows pockets sewn into a man’s underwear in which agents say he smuggled 10 live birds from Cuba into Miami International Airport Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. Homeland Security Investigations
In Castillo’s case, the six tubes were hidden in pockets that were sewn into his underwear, Homeland Security Investigations agents said. And, the tubes also contained live birds. In total, he had eight yellow-faced grassquits and two blue grosbeaks in his pants, agents said.
Yellow-faced grassquit is another name for the Cuban melodious finch, according to the ornithology website Birds of the World.
Castillo invoked his right to an attorney rather than speak to agents. He was released Monday after posting a $25,000 bond, court records show.
Birds sit perched in a cage at Miami International Airport Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. Federal agents say a man smuggled the birds from Cuba to Miami in his pants. Homeland Security Investigations
Both men are Cuban nationals with lawful permanent residences in the United States, according to their complaints. As of Wednesday, Quincosa’s docket did not say if he was in custody or have information about his legal representation. Castillo is represented by federal public defenders, who did not return a request for comment on his case.
Miami Herald
David Goodhue covers the Florida Keys and South Florida for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald. Before joining the Herald, he covered Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware.