Carlos Abundez from San Ysidro, California, has been charged with smuggling 14 live Keel-billed toucans into the United States. The birds were discovered hidden inside the dashboard of his Volkswagen Passat at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry after a Customs and Border Protection canine indicated suspicious behavior during a routine screening.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified the birds as juvenile Keel-billed toucans, which are listed on Appendix II of CITES due to their threatened status. Some of the birds had injuries, including broken tails and a leg. They received initial care from Veterinary Services before being transferred to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. Their condition is now stable.
U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon commented on the case: “Smuggling endangered birds by sedating them, binding their beaks, and hiding them in car compartments is not just cruel—it’s criminal.” He highlighted that this trend poses risks to public health and agriculture because these birds bypass mandatory quarantine procedures.
The prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Jimenez. If convicted, Abundez faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000 for each charge under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545.
This arrest follows similar cases involving Amazon parrots and parakeets at Southern California ports, indicating an ongoing issue with illegal wildlife trade in the region.
