Man Indicted for Smuggling Endangered Parakeets

A man has been charged with federal smuggling offenses after allegedly attempting to bring a sedated, endangered parakeet across the U.S. border in his underwear, according to authorities.

Jesse Agus Martinez, a U.S. citizen residing in Tijuana, was trying to cross at the Otay Mesa port of entry on October 23, when a Customs and Border Protection officer noticed a suspicious bulge in his groin area, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.

Records revealed that Martinez, 35, had a history of smuggling birds into the U.S.

Upon being directed for a secondary inspection, he reportedly insisted multiple times that the bulge was merely a “pilin,” which translates to “penis” in Spanish.

However, during a thorough search, CBP officers discovered two small bags containing orange parakeets hidden in his underwear.

Authorities noted that the birds seemed heavily sedated and unconscious but were still breathing.

The young parakeets were later identified as juvenile protected parrots after U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel arrived on-site.

Veterinary services dealt with the sleepy birds south of the border before transferring them to the USDA Animal Import Center for quarantine.

This type of parakeet is native to western Mexico and Costa Rica, and it has been considered endangered since 2005.

Prosecutors warned that, if Martinez had successfully smuggled the birds into the U.S., they would not have undergone quarantine tests for potentially hazardous diseases, including the highly contagious avian influenza.

Officials indicated that the two parakeets are currently stable.

On Friday, records indicate that Martinez was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with unlawful importation.

If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison along with a fine of $250,000.