Passenger Caught With 10 Live Birds Hidden in His Underwear at Miami Airport

At Miami International Airport in the United States, authorities discovered 10 live birds concealed in the underwear of a passenger arriving from Cuba. The 40-year-old passenger, Alberto Hernandez Castillo, arrived on a World Atlantic Airlines flight from Havana to Miami on October 4 and declared to customs officers that he was not carrying any animals.

However, officers became suspicious after noticing an unusual bulge around the passenger’s waist and conducted a more thorough search. During the inspection, they discovered six plastic tubes hidden in specially sewn pockets in his underwear, containing eight yellow-faced grassquits and two blue grosbeaks, all alive. Castillo claimed he was transporting the birds for personal use.

The passenger, who was found to lack the required documentation to bring the birds into the United States, was charged with smuggling. Castillo was released on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond and is scheduled to appear in court on October 26.