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A melodious finch was among 11 birds smuggled into Miami International Airport from Cuba on Tuesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said. Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service<\/p>\n
Oct. 9 (UPI) — U.S. customs officers discovered 21 live birds concealed in the clothing of two passengers arriving separately from Cuba at Miami International Airport, including 10 hidden in tubes sewn into one man’s underwear and 11 carried in a concealed garment, according to federal criminal complaints.<\/p>\n
The two men, both Cuban nationals and lawful permanent residents of the United States, were arrested after arriving on flights from Havana on Sunday and Tuesday.<\/p>\n
In the first case, Alberto Hernandez Castillo, 40, was stopped Sunday after Customs and Border Protection officers noticed an unexplained bulge near his waist during a secondary inspection, according to NBC 6 South Florida<\/a>.<\/p>\n Officers had searched his carry-on luggage and a waist bag without finding anything suspicious. But a subsequent pat-down revealed six clear plastic tubes wrapped in tape and concealed in pockets sewn into his underwear.<\/p>\n The tubes contained 10 live birds: eight yellow-faced grassquits and two blue grosbeaks, according to the criminal complaint.<\/p>\n Hernandez Castillo had declared that he was not bringing animals or wildlife into the United States. When questioned about the birds, he said they were for personal use before invoking his right to remain silent.<\/p>\n Federal investigators said he lacked the documentation required to import the animals.<\/p>\n Two days later, customs officers discovered another 11 birds concealed in the clothing of Roberto Perez Quincosa, who arrived Tuesday on a separate flight from Havana.<\/p>\n