Smuggler caught trying to enter JFK airport with 70 live finches hidden in hair rollers
On December 8, 2018, U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agriculture Specialists at John F. Kennedy International Airport stopped an arriving passenger on a flight from Georgetown, Guyana. During the course of the inspection, CBP discovered 70 live finches concealed within hair rollers in a black duffel bag.
“CBP Agriculture Specialists are the first line of defense to prevent the introduction of animal diseases that have the potential to cause significant damage to the Nation’s agricultural economy,” said Troy Miller, Director, Field Operations, New York Field Office.
A 2015 outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the U.S., commonly known as bird flu, resulted in the culling of 50 million commercial turkeys and chickens and $850 million in damages.
The finches were detained under quarantine and turned over to United States Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services.
