'Unexplained bulge' allegedly was 10 birds in man's underwear at Miami Airport
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There’s budgie smugglers — an Aussie term for Speedos — and then there’s this.
A would-be smuggler at Miami International Airport was caught with his pants down but not out on Sunday after he allegedly tried to smuggle 10 live birds in his underwear, according to PEOPLE .
Alberto Hernandez Castillo, a Cuban native who’s a legal permanent resident of the United States, was apprehended after a flight from Cuba to Miami.
He faces charges of smuggling goods – specifically eight yellow-faced Grassquits and two Blue Grosbeaks – and was released on a $25,000 US bond after appearing in Miami federal court, and will return on Oct. 26.
The two species are common in illegal bird trade, according to news outlet WPLG .
Border officials were apparently alerted to the presence of the live birds on a man at Miami International Airport after observing an “unexplained bulge.”
Birds found in taped plastic tubes
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers allegedly found the birds in taped plastic tubes hidden inside black pockets sewn into his underwear.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE, a U.S. CBP officer selected Hernandez Castillo for secondary inspection and gave him a binding declaration to confirm which items he was bringing into the U.S.
He only listed one carry-on bag and one fanny pack and also filled out a Customs Entry Declaration form in which he selected “no” to all questions, including whether he was bringing any animals or wildlife into the U.S.
Hernandez Castillo was also asked “routine travel questions” and told the officer he had gone to Cuba to visit family.
CBP officers then noticed an “unexplained bulge” on the front of his pelvis/waist area and said he “appeared nervous.”
The complaint alleges that, after being taken to a secure inspection area, a pat-down revealed the concealment of “six cylindrical clear plastic containers, each wrapped in tape and some with black mesh material affixed near the openings.”
The tubes were hidden in black pockets sewn into underwear, with each tube containing live birds.
The complaint claims Hernandez Castillo did not submit the documentation required for the lawful importation of wildlife.
Hernandez Castillo alleged the birds were for his “personal use” before he used his right to remain silent.