Latest news with #CarlosAbundez
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
US border officers discover 14 toucans stashed in car dashboard – driver said he had no idea how they got there
A California man has been arrested after border control agents found 14 live toucans stashed in his car dashboard. Carlos Abundez, 35, of San Ysidro, appeared in federal court Wednesday on charges of smuggling the birds in his Volkswagen Passat earlier this month. The discovery was made after federal agents detained Abundez at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry after a Customs and Border Protection canine flagged the car. A CBP officer inspected the car further and found a bird, bound and wrapped in cloth, duct taped to the underneath of the dash, though did not know what the object was until it began to move and flutter. Officers then pried open the side panel of the dashboard and discovered a total of 14 sedated juvenile Keel-billed toucans concealed within the compartment, according to the Department of Justice. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents and inspectors responded to the scene. A wildlife inspector identified the 14 juvenile birds as Keel-billed toucans. Some had injuries including broken tails and a broken leg. The birds were initially cared for by Veterinary Services at the southern border, before being transferred to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. The birds are now reported to be in stable condition. Keel-billed toucans are native to southern Mexico down through Ecuador, including Venezuela, Columbia and Nicaragua. They are sold as pets and can cost up to $5,000 per bird. 'Smuggling endangered birds by sedating them, binding their beaks, and hiding them in car compartments is not just cruel—it's criminal,' said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. Abundez's arrest follows the recent prosecution of three other individuals caught smuggling Amazon parrots and parakeets through the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro ports of entry, highlighting a troubling pattern of illegal wildlife trade through Southern California. 'This disturbing trend of trafficking exotic wildlife through Southern California ports poses a serious threat to public health and agriculture,' Gordon added. 'These birds bypass mandatory quarantine and screening, potentially carrying devastating diseases like avian influenza. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who treat living creatures as contraband and put our communities and ecosystems at risk.'
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Straits Times
Man had 14 toucans stashed in his Volkswagen dashboard, US Says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Carlos Abundez is charged with smuggling 14 live, bound Keel-billed toucans that the authorities said were hidden inside the dashboard of his Volkswagen Passat. WASHINGTON - The driver of the Volkswagen Passat said he had nothing declare, according to US Customs and Border Protection officers. But when a narcotics and human detection dog got a whiff under the steering wheel, which authorities said had been covered with duct tape and cloth, it noticed something was amiss. So did the officer handling the dog, who made a startling find while reaching for something that was hidden behind the cloth. Stashed inside the vehicle's dashboard were 14 live Keel-billed toucans, a threatened species of bird that is illegal to bring into the United States and can each sell for up to US$5,000 (S$6,400), authorities said. Native to southern Mexico down through Ecuador, including Venezuela, Colombia and Nicaragua, the birds appeared to have been sedated when they were discovered during an early morning inspection June 25 at the Otay Mesa US-Mexico border crossing in San Diego. One of the birds 'began to move rapidly in a flutterlike fashion', investigators said in a federal criminal complaint. The driver, Carlos Abundez, 35, of San Ysidro, California, told a US Fish and Wildlife Service agent that he was not aware how the toucans got into his car and that he had no connection to any bird trade activity, according to a criminal complaint. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Business F&B operators face tougher business landscape amid rising costs and stiff competition Business What's in store for policyholders after GE removes pre-authorisation letters for two private hospitals Multimedia Which floor is this? Chongqing's maze-like environment powers its rise as a megacity Life The rise of Tupai King, the rage of weather: How durian season is changing Asia 'Woven air': Ancient fabric spun across history makes comeback amid lies and climate change Life At 79, she can do 100 pull-ups: Why more seniors are hitting the gym World US man who decapitated father and displayed head on YouTube gets life in prison Abundez said that he had left his part-time residence in Tijuana, Mexico, late on the night of June 24 to cross the border into the United States to get McDonald's when he saw two unfamiliar vehicles. He said that his car had been parked in the driveway and was locked. He was charged July 7 with smuggling and illegal importation, both of which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a US$250,000 fine. After making his initial court appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Diego, Abundez was released on US$10,000 bond. He will be allowed to travel to his home in Mexico, and his arraignment is scheduled for Aug 7. The birds, which were identified as juveniles, had injuries that included broken tails and a broken leg, according to customs officers. After receiving veterinary care at the border, the toucans were transferred to a US Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. Authorities said they were in stable condition. 'Smuggling endangered birds by sedating them, binding their beaks and hiding them in car compartments is not just cruel – it's criminal,' Mr Adam Gordon, the US attorney for the Southern District of California, said in a statement. Mr Gordon said that the trafficking of exotic wildlife through border crossings in Southern California poses a serious threat to public health and agriculture. 'These birds bypass mandatory quarantine and screening, potentially carrying devastating diseases like avian influenza,' he said. Mr Paul Blake Jr, a lawyer for Abundez, declined to comment. NYTIMES
New York Times
4 days ago
- New York Times
Man Had 14 Toucans Stashed in His Volkswagen Dashboard, U.S. Says
The driver of the Volkswagen Passat said he had nothing declare, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. But when a narcotics and human detection dog got a whiff under the steering wheel, which the authorities said had been covered with duct tape and cloth, it noticed something was amiss. So did the officer handling the dog, who made a startling find while reaching for something that was hidden behind the cloth. Stashed inside the vehicle's dashboard were 14 live Keel-billed toucans, a threatened species of bird that is illegal to bring into the United States and can each sell for up to $5,000, the authorities said. Native to southern Mexico down through Ecuador, including Venezuela, Columbia and Nicaragua, the birds appeared to have been sedated when they were discovered during an early morning inspection on June 25 at the Otay Mesa U.S.-Mexico border crossing in San Diego. One of the birds 'began to move rapidly in a flutter-like fashion,' investigators said in a federal criminal complaint. The driver, Carlos Abundez, 35, of San Ysidro, Calif., told a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent that he was not aware how the toucans got into his car, and that he had no connection to any bird trade activity, according to a criminal complaint. Mr. Abundez said that he had left his part-time residence in Tijuana, Mexico, late on the night of June 24 to cross the border into the United States to get McDonald's when he saw two unfamiliar vehicles. He said that his car had been parked in the driveway and was locked. He was charged on July 7 with smuggling and illegal importation, both of which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. After making his initial court appearance on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Diego, Mr. Abundez was released on $10,000 bond. He will be allowed to travel to his home in Mexico, and his arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 7. The birds, which were identified as juveniles, had injuries that included broken tails and a broken leg, according to customs officers. After receiving veterinary care at the border, the toucans were transferred to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. Authorities said they were in stable condition. 'Smuggling endangered birds by sedating them, binding their beaks and hiding them in car compartments is not just cruel — it's criminal,' Adam Gordon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, said in a statement. Mr. Gordon said that the trafficking of exotic wildlife through border crossings in Southern California poses a serious threat to public health and agriculture. 'These birds bypass mandatory quarantine and screening, potentially carrying devastating diseases like avian influenza,' he said. Paul W. Blake Jr., a lawyer for Mr. Abundez, declined to comment.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Man accused of smuggling 14 toucans in vehicle
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A man suspected of attempting to smuggle 14 live, bound Keel-billed toucans at the U.S-Mexico border was charged Tuesday in federal court. Carlos Abundez, 35, of San Ysidro, faces several charges including smuggling merchandise and importation contrary to law, the United States Department of Justice said in a news release. The incident happened at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer found a bound bird, wrapped in cloth, duct taped to the underneath of the dashboard of the suspect's Volkswagen Passat, according to border officials. The officer initially didn't know what the object was until it began to move and flutter, CBP said. San Diego man drowns after saving two young boys in Colorado River When officers opened the side panel of the dashboard, they found a total of 14 sedated juvenile Keel-billed toucans hidden within the compartment. A wildlife inspector from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified the birds from the species Ramphastos sulfuratus. Some of the 14 birds had injuries including broken tails and a broken leg, CBP confirmed. Those birds were taken to the Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine and are in stable condition. Keel-billed toucans, which are illicitly sold as pets and can cost up to $5,000 per bird, are native to southern Mexico down through Ecuador, including Venezuela, Columbia and Nicaragua. Abundez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
