CBP intercepts three live parrots concealed in vehicle at Juárez-Lincoln Bridge

Three live red-lored parrots were discovered concealed inside a 2022 GMC Denali referred to secondary inspection at the Juárez–Lincoln Bridge on Jan. 4, CBP reported. The vehicle was stopped as it attempted to enter the United States from Mexico; officers found the birds hidden among the passenger’s personal belongings, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service accepted custody of the animals.

CBP Office of Field Operations officers at the Laredo port described the interception as part of routine agriculture and border protection work. “Smuggling birds into the United States is illegal and a serious criminal offense, involving penalties such as fines and imprisonment. CBP works with partner agencies like FWS and USDA to intercept and prosecute smugglers,” the CBP newsroom language stated. Laredo Port Director Alberto Flores added, “Smuggling birds poses significant risks. Birds may carry various diseases that endanger native wildlife and U.S. agriculture, which could lead to serious economic impacts.”

Homeland Security Investigations opened a criminal investigation after the discovery, and both vehicle occupants were taken into custody. Authorities identified the driver as a 39-year-old Mexican male and the passenger as a 37-year-old female U.S. citizen; law-enforcement agencies processed the matter following the referral to secondary inspection. CBP’s public summary characterized the incident as an alleged wildlife smuggling attempt while HSI handles the criminal inquiry.

The seized birds were identified in reporting as red-lored parrots, a species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For this Juárez–Lincoln Bridge seizure, officials have confirmed only that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took custody; no specific health or quarantine location for the three parrots has been released in available statements.

Federal prosecutors and wildlife authorities have treated similar border seizures as serious offenses. In a separate San Ysidro prosecution, federal agents detained a driver after discovering seven live Amazon parrots; prosecutors there reported the defendant admitted paying $700 for the birds and the case was being handled by an assistant U.S. attorney. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon described the broader problem in that case: “The illicit parrot trade reflects a broader crisis in wildlife protection, where profit outweighs preservation. Bird smuggling is not a victimless crime. These animals suffer, and the consequences to public health and the environment can be catastrophic.”

Investigators in Laredo continue to coordinate CBP, HSI, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service resources on the Jan. 4 seizure. Officials say the agencies will pursue the criminal investigation and any appropriate prosecution while holding the birds under federal custody pending quarantine and welfare assessment.