Dead birds found in passenger’s baggage from China at Virginia airport

Agriculture officials have incinerated a box of dead birds that a traveler from China tried to bring into the U.S.

Officials say the birds were discovered in the passenger’s luggage at Washington Dulles International Airport last month.

When officials intercepted the package, the passenger said it was cat food. There’s still no word on what kind of birds they were.

They were tiny, about 2.5 to 3.5 inches in length. Bird imports from China are prohibited because of potential exposure to avian influenza.

Continued

Man caught smuggling dozens of live finches into New York inside hair rollers

Francis Gurahoo planned to sell the birds for $3,000 each for use in singing competitions, officials say

Associated Press

Wed 19 Jun 2019 02.50 BST

A 39-year-old man has been caught allegedly trying to smuggle nearly three dozen live finches through John F Kennedy Airport in New York in order to sell them for singing competitions.

Francis Gurahoo was arrested on Sunday after arriving on a flight from Georgetown, Guyana. Prosecutors said customs officials found 34 live birds in his carry-on luggage hidden inside individual plastic hair curlers.

Gurahoo was arraigned on Monday on a charge of unlawful wildlife smuggling.

The finches are native to Guyana, officials said, and are highly prized. They are alledgedly used in singing contests in New York where bets are placed on the birds with the best voice.

Prosecutors alleged Gurahoo said he planned to sell them for about $3,000 each, which would have netted him more than $100,000.

Last December, customs officials at JFK airport found 70 live finches hidden inside hair rollers in a duffel bag from a passenger arriving from Guyana.

US customs officials said bird smuggling could threaten agriculture through the possible spread of diseases such as bird flu

Source

BSF personnel rescue rare birds from Hili-bound bus

13 March 2019 6:01 PM

Balurghat: The BSF rescued 58 rare species of birds from a private bus from Trimohini Bazaar, about 21 km from here, on Tuesday afternoon. Acting on a tip-off, the BSF jawans under 183 Battalions conducted the raids and rescued the birds which were left abandoned in cages in the bus.

According to a BSF source, these birds looked quite similar to Indian hen. Preliminary investigation revealed that the cost of these rare birds was around Rs 58,00,000. None has been arrested till now.

The BSF said these birds were kept in cages in a Hili-bound private bus from Kolkata. It is suspected that they were being smuggled to Bangladesh because of their high demands in the neighbouring country. The BSF conducted the search operation after getting information from a reliable source that some rare birds were being smuggled to Bangladesh.

Continued

Saved from smugglers, birds die in quarantine... in Alipore Zoo

53 of the 153 birds quarantined died, of diverse causes, but DRI contests trauma claim

By Debraj Mitra in Calcutta

Published 18.12.18, 3:19 AM

Updated 18.12.18, 3:44 PM

A third of the exotic wild birds confiscated from smugglers this year have died in quarantine, leading the intelligence agency behind the crackdown on wildlife trade to question if the Alipore zoo hospital is safe for the rest of the menagerie.

Asis Kumar Samanta, the director of the zoo, reported the bird deaths in a letter to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on November 1. A report appended to the letter mentions that 53 of the 153 birds quarantined at the hospital died of causes as diverse as “infighting injury”, “enteris” and “neurogenic shock”. The report has been signed by all three zoo veterinarians.

The first death was of a Turquoise Grass Parakeet on June 2. Eight Pygmy Falcons, among the smallest birds of prey and native to Africa, died between July 12 and 20. They had been rescued on June 27.

A Gouldian Finch, much sought after for its gorgeous plumage, died on September 28. This species is named after Elizabeth Gould, the wife of the English ornithologist John Gould.

The last death mentioned in the report is of a Rosella on October 30. The list of avians lost to disease or injury while in quarantine also contains Eclectus Parrots, Kookaburras and the fascinating Bird of Paradise.

Deepankar Aron, the additional director-general of the DRI’s Calcutta unit, said he had sought an inquiry into the deaths. “I have already written to the zoo authorities asking for a probe and sent a copy of my response to the chief wildlife warden. Our priority is the well-being of the remaining birds. I have requested the authorities to ensure that.”

Several other DRI officials said the number of bird deaths reported in quarantine couldn’t have happened if conditions at the hospital were right. “How can they mention ‘infighting’ as the cause of death? These are not lions and tigers. They should have more cages if the birds are fighting for space,” an official said.

Continued  

‘Italian bird smugglers brought species to Malta’

Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 19:45 by Ivan Martin

Maltese link to Carabinieri-led investigation announced by Europol

Carabinieri-led investigations saw two suspects involved in poaching and trafficking of endangered bird species, identified and prosecuted in Italy.

A recently arrested Italian gang of bird smugglers are believed to have been involved in bringing protected species to Malta. 

Maltese police sources told the Times of Malta that the country was a known destination for smuggled bird species, and a recently uncovered racket in Italy was believed to have ties to the island. 

Europol announced on Tuesday that Carabinieri-led investigations had seen two suspects involved in poaching and trafficking of endangered species of birds identified and prosecuted in Italy.

The Italian police said the two were involved in collecting nests and protected birds in the central region of Lazio to later sell them on the illegal market.

Meanwhile, a Maltese police source said that while the group were believed to have mostly supplied birds to continental European countries like Germany, they were also linked to other gangs in southern Italy through a wide-ranging black market network that had supplied birds to Malta.

Europol said the operation had resulted in over 50 protected species of birds being rescued, some of which so young that were still featherless, including hawfinches, jackdaws, goldfinches and serins.

Among them were 15 European roller birds, migratory birds with blue feathers, which are protected under national and international legislation and so cannot be hunted.

Once collected, the birds were sold on the clandestine market at prices from €500 for a roller, €200 to €300 for a kestrel, €150 for a hawfinch and €30 to €80 for a goldfinch.

Continued  

Italian police smash bird-smuggling racket involving Malta

Monday, May 28, 2018, 07:02 by Ivan Martin

Thousands of rare and protected birds were being sold to poachers, restaurants

A bird-smuggling racket between Malta and parts of Italy has been dismantled by the Italian police and the EU’s law enforcement arm. 

Europol said thousands of rare and protected birds were being sold to poachers and restaurants across Italy as part of a smuggling network that also had ties to Malta.

The organised group behind the crime, from Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, was uncovered by the Carabinieri’s anti-poaching unit in cooperation with the Calabrian Police and Europol.

 Nine people – all Italian – have been arrested on suspicion of belonging to a criminal network aimed at illegally trading protected wildlife – mostly songbirds. They are believed to have smuggled thousands of song birds into Malta, with a value estimated at more than €400,000.

“In recent years the criminal group built up a network of illegal buyers and sellers of protected birds in Italy and Malta,” Europol said.

Maltese police sources meanwhile said the racket had long been going on in Malta and seizures of shipments were made by the local authorities from time to time.

“This is something we are aware of. Birds are brought to the island illegally from Sicily and sold as lures or for aficionados,” the sources said.

In 2016, five Maltese men were detained in Sicily after they were caught trying to smuggle scores of finches in atrocious conditions.

When they were intercepted by police between Modica and Ragusa, the hunters were believed to have captured more than 500 birds.

Continued  

Courier nabbed trying to ship stuffed rare birds in Indonesia

Posted 12 Oct 2016 20:53

Updated 12 Oct 2016 21:00

MAKASSAR: Indonesian authorities on Wednesday (Oct 12) seized dozens of stuffed birds of paradise from a hapless courier who did not realise they were a protected species, an official said.

The courier walked into the government conservation agency in South Sulawesi province seeking permission to ship the 64 birds of paradise and more than 80 bundles of cassowary feathers by air freight, said local agency head Dody Wahyu Karyanto.

The cargo company had demanded the courier produce an official letter allowing him to transport the stuffed birds and feathers to Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua.

"Once we checked, it turned out this wildlife was a protected species. We immediately confiscated (the items) and held the courier for questioning," Karyanto said.

Read on 

In search of Syria's pigeon smugglers

By Stephen PeirisBeirut

16 March 2016

Many people in the Middle East love pigeons - it's a passion that can dissolve all religious and national divisions. Some of the finest birds were bred in Syria until the civil war intervened. Now Syrian birds are being smuggled to Lebanon, across front lines and through areas controlled by the Hezbollah militia.

"Five kilometres from here are the marijuana fields," I'm told as I step out of the car in front of a pet shop in Lebanon's North Bekaa Valley.

Darkness enshrouds us. An ape in a cage stares as I walk past. I pause to take a photo but a strong arm pulls me away.

"No photos outside. This is Hezbollah territory."

I had already worked that out. The marijuana fields are Hezbollah's too - and apparently a significant source of income. But my companions seem less relaxed than before so I put the camera away and ask if this means we're in danger.

"No," comes the answer.

"You're here with Nasser al-Hindi. You're here for the pigeons."

My interest in the pigeon smugglers of Syria was sparked in Amman, the cosmopolitan capital of Jordan, at Nasser al-Hindi's home.

He has bred pigeons for more than 30 years and the coop on his roof contains birds unlike any ever seen mobbing tourists on London's Trafalgar Square.

The breeds have poetic names - Ablak, Baghdadi, Rihani, Shikli. Some specimens are valued at $15,000 (£10,500) or more and many wear jewelled anklets on their feet.

The full collection is worth well over $1m (£705,000) and the 250-plus birds live in a style that befits their value: the coop is air-conditioned, with rows of individual cages for star pigeons, and a separate veterinary wing.

Read more ...

Man arrested for attempting to smuggle nine live birds through airport security by hiding them in his pants

Passenger arrested at Miami airport for trying to smuggle nine live birds 

U.S. Customs found three birds in his pants and six in his fanny pack

The birds were turned over to the the Department of Agriculture in Miami  

By VALERIE EDWARDS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 14:48, 27 January 2016 | UPDATED: 06:05, 28 January 2016

A passenger who was traveling from Cuba to Miami was arrested after he was caught trying to smuggle live birds in his pants. 

The man had just arrived from Havana when U.S. Customs and Border Protection searched him at the Miami International Airport. 

Customs agents found six exotic birds in his fanny pack and three more hidden in his groin area.

A man attempted to smuggle nine live birds into Miami. He had six birds in his fanny pack and three in his pants

Agents selected the man for further examination and during inspection they discovered the passenger was carrying the birds 

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s, Homeland Security Investigations and US Fish and Wildlife Service were on-site for the investigation that occurred on January 9.

Agents selected the individual for further examination and during inspection, they discovered that the passenger was concealing the nine birds, according to the US Customs and Border Protection. 

Read more:

Thousands of live birds seized from East Java port

Wildlife authorities in East Java have seized hundreds of plastic baskets crammed with 2,711 live native birds of various species from a passenger ship docked in the port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya.

Officers from the Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Indonesia (BBKSDA) of East Java have also arrested one person suspected to have purchased the birds from collectors in Kalimantan and smuggled them on board the passenger ship.

The ship, KM Mahkota Nusantara, had arrived from Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. BBKSDA believes the birds were destined for Jakarta’s Pramuka Bird Market.

That bird market, one of Indonesia’s largest, came under the spotlight in September after a TRAFFIC report revealed the sale of thousands of wild caught native birds in Jakarta markets over a three day period. The survey documented a total of 16,160 birds in Pramuka on just one day in 2014.

The latest shipment on KM Mahkota Nusantara included 1,411 Greater Green Leafbirds Chloropsis sonnerati, 712 White-rumped Shamas Copsychus malabaricus, 557 Hill Mynas Gracula religiosa, 20 Australasian Bushlarks Mirafra javanica, eight Crested Jays Platylophus galericulatus, two Oriental Magpie Robins Copsychus saularis and an Asian Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus.

Several of these are in the list of 28 priority species for conservation action identified during the Asian Song Bird Trade Crisis Summit, including the Hill Mynas, White-rumped Shamas and Greater Green Leafbirds. The myna is traded for its ability to mimic, and the other two for their melodious songs, and are used in bird singing competitions.

“It is heartening to see action against the illegal and unsustainable trade in songbirds being prioritized in Indonesia now,” said Dr Chris R. Shepherd, Regional Director for TRAFFIC in Southeast Asia.

“TRAFFIC congratulates BBKSDA East Java on the find, and for their continued vigilance that has led to a string of similar seizures at Tanjung Perak port in recent months.”

Read on …

Man who tried to smuggle birds in PVC tubes gets 9 weeks jail

ASIAONE

Saturday, Oct 17, 2015

SINGAPORE - He wanted to import nine live birds into Singapore, so 43-year-old Leong Kay Cheong stuffed the birds into customised polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes and wrapped them up in aluminium foil and black trash bags.

On Friday, the Singaporean was sentenced to nine weeks in jail for illegally importing the birds, and will also serve a concurrent three-week sentence for animal cruelty.

The birds were found inside Leong's luggage at Changi Airport in April 2014. He had arrived on a flight from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) identified three of the birds as White-Rumped Shama birds (Copsychus malabaricus), and six of the birds as Melodious Laughing Thrush birds (Garrulax canorus), which is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

- See more at:

Bottled birds: How callous smugglers cram cockatoos into plastic bottles to get them through customs

More than 24 endangered Yellow-crested cockatoos were rescued by police

Smugglers stuffed them in bottles to get through customs in Indonesia

Critically endangered cockatoos can be sold for as much as £650 each

Around 40 per cent of birds die during the illegal smuggling process

By JENNY AWFORD FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 19:50, 4 May 2015 | UPDATED: 11:31, 5 May 2015

More than 24 critically endangered cockatoos were rescued by police after being found stuffed in water bottles for illegal trade. 

Smugglers crammed the Yellow-crested cockatoos into empty bottles so they could get through customs at Port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, Indonesia.

But Indonesian Police discovered the birds, which can be sold for as much as £650 each, and cut them free so they could receive medical attention.

The Yellow-crested cockatoo was listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 2007.

More than 24 critically endangered cockatoos were rescued by police after being found stuffed in water bottles for illegal trade

Smugglers had crammed the Yellow-crested cockatoos into empty bottles so they could get through customs at Port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, Indonesia

The population is at a critical low due to deforestation and poaching and recent studies suggest there may be less than 7,000 individuals remaining.

More than 10,000 parrots, including Lories and Cockatoos, are caught from the wild in North Halmahera, Indonesia, each year to supply the domestic and the international illegal wildlife trade.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3067691/Smugglers-birds-plastic-bottles-customs.html#ixzz3ZTw9jeIt

Smuggle Me Elmo: 2 parrots found in stuffed toy

July 10, 2014 1:48 pm • Kimberly Matas Arizona Daily Star

It was a case of smuggle me Elmo at an Arizona border crossing July 1 when officers found two parrots hidden in a large stuffed Sesame Street character.

The birds were found alive stuffed into the plush doll after officials at the San Luis port of entry X-rayed the toy, according to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The birds are conures, medium-sized parrots that are native to South America.

Officers initially stopped the California couple because they were carrying a bag of mangos. It was only then they decided to inspect the Elmo doll.

The prohibited birds and fruit were seized under the Animal Health Protection Act and the Plant Protection Act. The couple was fined $300 and released.

Continued

Bird smuggler ‘trying to save animals from Chinese smog’

Man claims he was trying to sneak two birds out of the country inside his trousers in order to protect them from China’s lung-choking pollution

By Tom Phillips, Shanghai

9:00AM BST 09 Jun 2014

A man who was caught attempting to smuggle two birds out of an airport in southern China claimed he was trying to save them from the country’s polluted skies.

The man, a “foreigner” whose name was not given, had planned to fly out of Guangzhou’s international airport to Singapore on Sunday morning, according to a report in the Yangcheng Evening News.

However, at around 9.30am, as he was passing through a security check, staff spotted a ball-shaped object tucked inside the hem of one trouser leg.

On further investigation they found a “small squirming thing wrapped in white cloth,” the newspaper reported. Inside was a bird. A second creature had been similarly attached to the man’s other ankle.

Apparently hoping to come across as an environmentalist rather than a wildlife trafficker, the man used pollution to justify his actions.

Continued

Indian man nabbed for smuggling rare pheasants

ITAHARI: An Indian national has been arrested on charge of smuggling rare species of birds from the Thandi customs office here in Siraha.

According to Siraha Police, the suspect is identified as Ajim Khan of Madhuwani. He was arrested three days ago while he was illegally transporting 26 pheasants to India for sale. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that Khan had bought the birds in Kathmandu.

According to Khan’s preliminary statement, smugglers in the Capital are rearing the rare birds by operating hatchery and they supply them to foreign countries. 

Read on

Indonesians warned over alleged wildlife smuggling

Five galahs among birds found hidden in bags on an Australian military jet

Two Indonesian military personnel have been let off with a warning after Australian authorities uncovered an alleged bird-smuggling operation aboard a gifted Hercules military aircraft.

The men were part of a team taking delivery of a Hercules military aircraft on Thursday at Richmond air force base near Sydney and were allegedly found loading birds – five galahs and two other parrots – hidden in bags.

When the aircraft landed in Darwin for refuelling, authorities allegedly found two more parrots, Macquarie radio reported on Friday.

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service questioned the men and, after consulting with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, issued them with a warning, immigration minister Scott Morrison said.

Continued

'Bird Man' Nabbed in Illegal Avian Import Scheme

Israeli man stopped by import inspectors at Ben Gurion Airport trying to smuggle 40 Zebra Finches into Israel.

By David Lev

First Publish: 11/24/2013, 3:40 PM

An Israeli who returned from a trip to Holland was stopped by customs inspectors at Ben Gurion Airport Sunday morning – when he was found trying to smuggle 40 Zebra Finches into Israel.

The traveler walked through the “green lane” on his way into the passenger terminal, indicating that he did not have anything for the customs inspectors to check, and owed no duty on the items he was bringing into the country.

Continued

Airport bird smuggling bid thwarted

20 MAY 2013

Attempts to bring live fighting birds through a British airport in suitcases were "astonishing", Border Force has said.

Two separate attempts to smuggle the birds into the UK were discovered at Leeds Bradford Airport. They had been placed in individual wooden cages inside the cases.

Border Force said the smugglers tried to bring in nine grey francolin birds, which are native to South Asia and often bred for fighting.

A spokesman said that on both occasions they were hidden inside suitcases belonging to passengers arriving at the airport on flights from Islamabad.

Four birds were found on May 4 and five on May 11.

Sam Bullimore, Border Force assistant director at Leeds Bradford Airport, said: "These were astonishing smuggling attempts, of a kind we have not seen before at Leeds Bradford.

"Our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, but were surprised when they realised just what the passengers were smuggling.

"It is vitally important that unregulated attempts to bring livestock into the UK are stopped, to protect the health of both animals and humans and to prevent animal cruelty."

He said information relating to these seizures was passed to Leeds City Council, which is carrying out an investigation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border-force(Border Force)

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/uk/airport-bird-smuggling-bid-thwarted-29280762.html