Excuse Me Sir, but You Appear to Be Molting
A man is free on $50,000 bail after being accused of smuggling 44 birds into the U.S. by strapping them to his body on a flight from Havana.
Carlos Rodriguez Avila of Miami was released Thursday after being charged with lying on a customs declaration by denying he was bringing any wildlife into the United States.
Suspicious airport inspectors asked Rodriguez to raise his pant legs and saw something strapped to his legs when he arrived in Miami aboard a charter flight, officials said. Among the 44 birds were some Cuban melodious finches, which are popular as pet songbirds.
An international treaty requires an export permit to remove the birds from Cuba, and U.S. regulations require them to be quarantined on arrival.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
