Photo credit: DOJCALIFORNIA – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced June 10 that a California man appeared in court and charged with smuggling protected exotic birds through Southern California Ports of Entry.
Juandaniel Medina, 24, of Lindsay is the third recently charged in smuggling exotic birds through Southern California ports.
Federal agents detained Medina at the San Ysidro Port of Entry after discovering seven live Amazon parrots in a cardboard box on the passenger floorboard.
According to a federal complaint, Medina owned and drove the vehicle where Customs officials discovered the birds.
He admitted paying $700 cash for the parrots with the intention of breeding and reselling them in the United States in the future.
‘Bird smuggling is not a victimless crime’
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services has identified six of the birds as Red-Lored Amazon Parrots. All seven of the parrots are alive at a quarantine facility managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The arrest follows another case of someone caught smuggling Amazon parrots through the same port of entry, highlighting a troubling pattern of illegal wildlife trade through Southern California, said the DOJ.
U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said the illicit parrot trade reflects a broader crisis in wildlife protection—where profit outweighs preservation.
“Bird smuggling is not a victimless crime. These animals suffer, and the consequences to public health and the environment can be catastrophic,” said Gordon.
Illegally imported birds bypass health screenings
According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Amazon parrots are native to Mexico, the West Indies, and northern South America.
There are about thirty Amazon parrot species listed on either Appendix I or Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (“CITES”).
The DOJ said illegally imported birds bypass health screening and quarantine, which are required to protect the nation from infectious diseases.
Avian influenza (bird flu), for instance, can spread through feathers, droppings, or even airborne particles. It has previously caused massive culls of farm birds in the U.S.
Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu-like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia, and death in humans and poultry, the department says.
Many diseases can spread from animals, making it essential to quarantine animals entering the U.S. to prevent disease transmission.
Medina faces 20 years in prison
Medina faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
 announced June 10 that a California man, the third recently charged with smuggling protected exotic birds through Southern California Ports of Entry, appeared in court.){kind=link}