Pair Nabbed Trying to Smuggle Birds into the U.

02/18/08

[Sammy67]

LEWISTON, N.Y. -- Border agents pulled four live birds from the pockets of a pigeon collector and a traveling companion trying to enter the United States from Canada.

The pair were stopped Sunday at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge border crossing. They told inspectors they were on their way to visit an uncle near Rochester, says Customs and Border Protection spokesman Kevin Corsaro.

The Uxbridge, Ontario residents, whose names were not released, were asked during a secondary inspection to remove their coats and that's when the birds were found.

One man told CBP officers he is a pigeon collector who belongs to a club that trades and sells birds of various colors. He said he was taking the birds to trade or sell to his uncle.

The pair were fined $1,000 and the case was referred to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and United States Department of Agriculture inspectors for possible criminal charges. Corsaro says said bird smuggling increases the chances that communicable diseases such as bird flu could enter the United States.

U-S-D-A inspectors took custody of the birds.

[Sammy67]

Purchasing a loaf of bread.....$1.19 Purchasing a net..........8.99 Sitting in park throwing bread..Free

Getting caught smuggling 4 pigeons into the country..........1000.00

Making the News in 2 countries portrayed as a complete idiot with a friend...Priceless

[Louis Foxwell]

Not all pigeons are equal.

[blam]

"Corsaro says said bird smuggling increases the chances that communicable diseases such as bird flu could enter the United States. "

Biological weapons? I wonder if they were Islamists?

[robomatik]

[coloradan]

Tried to smuggle them in, but the USDA called fowl.

[Hunble]

Dang, it should have been a Mexican bird!

[Hunble]

Of course, I had to save that picture!

[sergeantdave]

Rent a fishing boat along the Ontario shore. Go “fishing” on the American side of Lake Superior. Go ashore somewhere along Keweenaw Point, where nobody, including homeland security or the US Coast Guard, lives. This was an important smuggling point during prohibition. At best you’ll run into an old Yooper eating a pasty and collecting agates. (Terrorists take note: He’s most likely better armed and a better shot than you are.) Take your pigeons home. John Adams would be embarrassed by these amateurs.