SAN LUIS, Ariz. — Federal agents inspecting a couple’s belongings at an Arizona entry port on the U.S.-Mexico border found two live parrots hidden inside an Elmo doll.
The Customs and Border Protection says agriculture specialists found the birds on July 1 after cutting open the doll when an X-ray revealed something unusual about the contents.
The seized birds were placed in quarantine and transferred to a Department of Agriculture holding facility, while the couple was fined $300.
The border agency says birds entering the country are regulated because they can carry viral and bacterial diseases.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.