A couple accused of attempting to smuggle 27 parrots from Tijuana into the United States could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, Sydney Johnson and Brandon Marion were arrested on May 3 at the San Ysidro border crossing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
During an inspection of their vehicle, agents noticed irregularities in the spare tire. After hearing noises coming from inside, they opened it and discovered multiple birds hidden inside a cage built into the shape of the tire.
Among the 27 birds found:
11 were Orange-fronted Parakeets (Eupsittula canicularis)
16 were White-fronted Amazons (Amazona albifrons)
Both species are protected under U.S. endangered species laws.
Authorities said that during questioning, the couple admitted they could hear the parrots chirping while driving into the United States, describing the sounds as resembling “a dinosaur.”
One of the parrots had already died by the time authorities rescued the animals. The remaining birds were transferred to veterinary services and later placed in quarantine under the care of agricultural and animal import authorities. Three additional birds later died, leaving 23 surviving parrots currently recovering.
The defendants appeared in federal court and now face wildlife trafficking charges that could carry sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
