Ricardo Alonzo, a resident of San Diego, has been charged with smuggling 17 exotic birds into the United States from Mexico. The charges were presented in federal court after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted his vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
The complaint details that Alonzo was driving a car registered under his name when officers discovered four bags containing 10 Burrowing Parakeets, five Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots, and two Red-Lored Amazon Parrots beneath the rear seat. Unfortunately, the two Red-Lored Amazon Parrot chicks did not survive. The surviving birds have been transferred to a quarantine facility managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon stated, "Trafficking exotic birds isn’t just illegal — it’s cruel and dangerous," emphasizing the risks posed to both animals and humans. Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge of HSI San Diego, commented on law enforcement's dedication: "This charge underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting vulnerable wildlife and holding traffickers accountable for their crimes."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes that Amazon parrots originate from regions including Mexico, the West Indies, and northern South America while Burrowing Parakeets are native to Chile and Argentina. These species are listed on Appendix I or II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna).
Successful smuggling without declaring these birds bypasses necessary quarantine procedures which are crucial to prevent diseases like Avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmosis from spreading within the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Gardner-Erickson is prosecuting this case against Ricardo Alonzo who faces charges under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545 for Importation Contrary to Law with a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Investigations involved agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Homeland Security Investigations.
It is important to note that all charges are accusations at this stage; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
