Carlos Abundez of San Ysidro, California, has been charged with smuggling 14 live Keel-billed toucans. He appeared in federal court following his arrest at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. The arrest occurred after a Customs and Border Protection canine indicated something unusual in Abundez’s Volkswagen Passat. Upon inspection, officers discovered the birds sedated and bound within the car’s dashboard.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified the birds as juvenile Keel-billed toucans, a species protected under international treaties due to their threatened status. The birds were initially treated by Veterinary Services before being moved to a Department of Agriculture facility for quarantine.
U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon emphasized the severity of such crimes, stating that “smuggling endangered birds by sedating them, binding their beaks, and hiding them in car compartments is not just cruel—it’s criminal.” He highlighted the risks these actions pose to public health and agriculture through potential disease transmission.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Jimenez is prosecuting the case against Abundez. If convicted, he faces up to twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge related to smuggling merchandise and importation contrary to law.
