Texas Woman Arrested for Smuggling 20 Parrots Across Border

Birds on the loose! This Texas Port of Entry recently had a squawking good time after nearly two dozen parrots were discovered and apprehended before they were able to be illegally transported into the country.

Parrots on the Border!

According to a recent news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), officers stopped a vehicle for secondary inspection on July 7.

The driver, a female 22-year-old U.S. citizen, applied for entry through the Hidalgo port, but she was transporting something that border agents were truly not expecting.

Crammed in a bag inside the 2022 Chevy Traverse was not one, not two, but 20 parrots with no crackers in sight.

Hidalgo Port Director Carlos Rodriguez highlighted the importance of stopping illegal passage of foreign animals due to the risk of spreading diseases:

CBP remains committed to preventing the exploitation of protected animals and the spread of animal diseases.

Homeland Security opened an investigation on the matter, and the driver was arrested on the spot. The parrots were then safely transported to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX, by Texas Game Wardens.

Are Parrots Illegal in Texas?

Owning a parrot is not against the law in Texas. This isn't why the woman was arrested. The reason why she broke the law was because parrots are protected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Failing to declare foreign plants and/or animals into America from other countries can result in your arrest. Smuggling 20 parrots in a sack in your backseat is not the way to do things.

People often try to bypass the legal way of declaring any cargo since these processes can often be time-consuming and costly. But hey, it beats getting arrested and losing your sack of birds, right?