Man Arrested At Miami Airport After ‘Unexplained Bulge’ In His Pants Ended Up Being A Bunch Of Live Birds

Criminals can get very creative when it comes to dreaming up ways to successfully smuggle items across international borders. However, some opt for the “Stuff Some Stuff In Your Pants” strategy and hope for the best, an approach that recently led to an unexpected discovery at Miami International Airport.

Drug trafficking is probably the first type of smuggling that springs to mind when that particular topic is raised, and it’s one of the most lucrative operations in that particular realm when you consider it generates upwards of $650 billion in annual revenue for the people who orchestrate it.

There’s also plenty of money to be made in the world of exotic and endangered animals; the nature of that illegal business makes it difficult to pin down an exact number, but experts estimate the black market for illicit specimens (both living and dead) is valued at around $20 billion a year.

It sort of goes without saying that smugglers have to deal with more logistical headaches when they’re transporting animals that are still alive, as their sounds and movements make them more susceptible to being discovered by authorities tasked with detecting them.

That includes the customs officials at Miami International Airport, who staged a successful bust after stopping a guy who was charged with taking a bold gamble that did not pay off.

A man flying from Cuba to Miami was arrested after 10 live birds were allegedly discovered stuffed inside his pants

Virtually every country on the planet has rules governing the transportation of live animals that have the potential to carry diseases and could become an invasive species if they’re able to establish a foothold in a place they’re not native to.

That includes the United States, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection is tasked with preventing travelers from entering America with illegal animals in tow.

According to CBS News, officers at Miami International Airport flagged Alberto Hernandez Castillo, an American resident who arrived from Cuba on October 4th, after spotting an “unexplained bulge” in his pants.

He was pulled aside for a search, and while he checked “No” on the section of the customs form concerning the transportation of wildlife, that was undermined by the discovery of the 10 live birds that were crammed inside six tubes in his pants.

Eight of them were yellow-faced grassquits (which are not native to North America), and they were supplemented by two blue grosbeaks, which can’t be moved without a permit under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918; the outlet notes both species are frequently smuggled in connection with the “pet trade or for singing competitions.”

Castillo reportedly said the birds were for “personal use” before invoking his right to remain silent. He was arrested on smuggling charges and currently has a court date scheduled for October 26th.