Miami Traveler Caught Smuggling 10 Live Birds Hidden In Underwear

Miami Traveler Caught Smuggling 10 Live Birds Hidden In Underwear

A Cuban national was arrested at Miami International Airport after customs officers discovered 10 live birds concealed in his underwear. Alberto Hernandez Castillo, 40, a U.S. permanent resident, arrived from Havana on Monday when a suspicious bulge and visible nervousness prompted secondary screening. A pat-down revealed six clear plastic cylinders, each containing live birds — two blue grosbeaks and eight yellow-faced grassquits, a species rarely seen in the U.S. Hernandez Castillo had declared he was not carrying animals and lacked the required import paperwork. He allegedly told officers the birds were for his “personal use.” He now faces federal smuggling charges. Story URL