Two days later, Perez Quincosa, 41, was intercepted using a bespoke belt fitted with hair roller tubes to smuggle six Cuban melodious finches and five Cuban bullfinches.
Both men have been charged with smuggling.
According to an affidavit, Quincosa planned to sell the birds for up to US$120 each.
BirdLife International said illicit wildlife trade generated up to US$23 billion annually worldwide.
“This trade is a vast criminal enterprise,” the organisation said. “Additionally, it is estimated that one out of every four bird and mammal species globally is caught up in wildlife trade.”
Miami remains one of the primary US entry points for smuggled birds.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a rise in arrests indicates a growing US market.
“Bird species like indigo and painted buntings, blue and rose-breasted grosbeaks, and house finches remain targets of illegal trade,” the WWF said in a recent report.
“And these birds aren’t just being trafficked abroad – they’re also feeding into the domestic black market trade, mainly to be sold as pets or used in bird singing competitions.”
Mexican parrots, known for their spectacular plumage, are especially popular and can fetch more than US$1000 each, with estimates suggesting as many as 9400 birds are smuggled each year.
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