Man busted for smuggling songbirds into US

This isn’t the first time in recent weeks that someone has allegedly tried to bring songbirds into the United States from South America.

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Kevin Andre McKenzie, a 36-year-old man from Guyana, flew from his home country to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York with dozens of live birds, stuffed in hair curlers, taped to his legs and strapped inside his coat, CNN reported.

Customs and Border Protection officers selected him for an examination and found the animals.

He’s been charged with unlawfully importing the finches and was released on a $25,000 bond, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, according to CNN.

Apparently, the birds are frequently smuggled into the country for singing contests held in Brooklyn and Queens, a special agent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told CNN.

Kathryn McCabe said usually two finches sing and a judge selects the one with the best song. Bets are placed on the birds, which could eventually fetch more than $10,000.

>> Related: 40 finches found in hair rollers inside man’s luggage at NYC airport

McKenzie told officials that he was told he would be paid $3,000 to get the birds into the U.S., receiving $500 in Guyana, and was supposed to be paid $2,500 when he got through customs, WNBC reported.

Last month, a man was found carrying 29 birds. He was given a $300 civil penalty and was put on a flight back to Guyana, WNBC reported.

Last week, another man was charged with bringing finches into the country in hair rollers stuffed inside of a suitcase.

Cox Media Group