Latest news with #SidneyAki
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Officials make disturbing discovery after noticing 'unusual' bulges in man's clothing at US border checkpoint: 'Extremely dangerous'
On April 30, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered a man attempting to smuggle parrots into the United States in an unusual manner. As the Los Angeles Times detailed, a man applying for admission to California at the border was stopped after officials noticed "unusual clothing bulges" around his ankles. When the officers went to check the strange lumps, they found the man had somehow stuffed six birds into his boots in an attempt to smuggle them into the country. Upon further inspection of the man's vehicle, officials discovered a further six parrots, two of which were dead. According to the Los Angeles Times, Sidney Aki, the director of CBP San Diego field operations, said in a statement: "The smuggling of birds is extremely dangerous. Birds can also be hosts for a variety of diseases that can threaten native wildlife and U.S. agricultural industries, potentially causing widespread economic consequences." As Aki explained, smuggling birds (or any animal) can introduce new diseases to local animal populations, which can wipe out native creatures. This is because animals trafficked over borders become an invasive species in the new country. Invasive species can cause a range of problems in their new home, such as introducing deadly diseases, threatening the balance of local ecosystems, and affecting crops, with the latter impacting the human food supply. The destruction of ecological balance that invasive species can cause has an adverse effect on everything from plant life to humans. The trafficking of animals can also cause harm to the smuggled animals, as evidenced by the dead birds the CBP discovered. If the animals people traffic are endangered, any loss of life puts them further at risk of becoming extinct. Authorities detained the man attempting to smuggle birds into the U.S. for further investigation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services put the live birds he brought under quarantine. The U.S. also has legislation addressing wildlife trafficking. The country enacted the National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking in 2014 and passed the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Act in 2016. Many groups in the U.S. are taking strides to eliminate the smuggling of wildlife, too, such as the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance and the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online. Do you think we should deal with air pollution by burying things underground? Sounds great No way Only for certain waste I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
CBP releases drug seizures total in May
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection from the San Diego Field Office seized over $17 million worth of narcotics last month. In 115 separate incidents, CBP officers captured 6,298 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,267 pounds of cocaine, 256 pounds of fentanyl and 33 pounds of heroin. One of the major seizures occurred on May 29 at the Calexico East Cargo Facility, where a tractor-trailer was found to have a total of 100 packages of cocaine from inside the air tanks weighing 245.28 pounds. Carlsbad police seize drugs, cash and car in major narcotics operation 'Targeting techniques are critical to our success,' said San Diego Director of Field Operations Sidney K. Aki. 'This seizure demonstrates the power of precision targeting and how intelligence driven enforcement is essential in the fight against organized crime.' The San Diego Field Office advises the public to report suspicious activity to ensure safer communities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man stuffed 6 parrots in his boots in bizarre border smuggling attempt, officials say
A man was caught attempting to smuggle parrots into California after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers noticed "unusual clothing bulges" around his ankles and discovered six birds stuffed into his boots, authorities said. The bizarre incident happened April 30, when Customs and Border Patrol Agents pulled aside a 51-year-old man applying for admission to the United States from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. An officer spotted the misshapen lumps around the man's feet after asking him to step outside his vehicle. When they patted him down, they discovered the undeclared birds hidden in his boots. They found six additional parrots in his car, including two that were dead, according to the CBP. Read more: Threatened in their homeland, feral Mexican parrots thrive on L.A.'s exotic landscaping "The smuggling of birds is extremely dangerous," Sidney Aki, director of CBP San Diego field operations, said in a statement. "Birds can also be hosts for a variety of diseases that can threaten native wildlife and U.S. agricultural industries, potentially causing widespread economic consequences." This is not the only recent livestock smuggling attempt thwarted at a U.S.-Mexico border crossing in California. On May 4, a 26-year-old-man applying for admission to the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry was caught attempting to smuggle 16 live parakeets and three live chickens, officials said. CBP officers saw a blanket moving inside the man's car and discovered the animals in two cages underneath it, authorities said. Last March, officers found 21 parrots and a keel-billed toucan while searching a sedan at the U.S.-Mexico border crossing in Tecate, according to CBP. Border Patrol agents detained the drivers and passengers in the two recent suspected smuggling attempts and turned them over to Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services for further investigation. The confiscated animals are under quarantine by U.S. Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services to ensure they are not carrying any avian diseases such as bird flu. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Eggs have gotten so expensive, Americans are smuggling them in from Mexico
Desperate Americans are smuggling eggs into the US from Mexico and Canada amid a surge in prices. Rates of egg smuggling have skyrocketed in recent months at the US' borders as prices spike following multiple bird flu outbreaks. US customs and border protection (CBP) said it has recorded a 158 per cent rise in egg smuggling interceptions at its San Diego field office in California since last year. At the El Paso border station in Texas, agents identified more than 90 people 'attempting to import raw eggs from Mexico' between January and February this year. Likewise, the National Post reports that officials at the Detroit-Windsor crossing at the Canadian border have seen a 36 per cent increase in 'interceptions of eggs' compared to last year. Overall, from October to February, CBP recorded a 29 per cent rise in smuggled eggs at US ports of entry. Poultry and egg prices have soared as millions of birds are culled following the biggest avian flu outbreak in a decade. In February, thieves stole 100,000 organic eggs from a business in Pennsylvania – valued at some $40,000 – a crime police suggested was triggered by rising costs. A series of restaurant chains, including Waffle House and Denny's, have instituted an egg surcharge in response to national shortages and price increases. Egg prices rose 13.8 per cent in January following an 8.4 per cent rise in December, according to the US department of agriculture. It predicts that costs will increase by 41 per cent this year. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Canada exported $44 million worth of eggs to the US in 2023, while Mexico exported $1.54 million. Exports from both countries are now subject to a 25 per cent tariff imposed by Donald Trump on Tuesday. CBP does not class most of the eggs brought into the country as 'smuggling' because they are usually surrendered freely without consequence. 'It is critical that we keep our travelling public informed to safeguard our agricultural industry while continuing to facilitate legitimate trade and travel,' said Sidney Aki, CBP's field operations director in San Diego. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Yahoo
CBP: Travelers can't bring Mexican eggs into United States
Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Bringing raw eggs from Mexico into the United States could trigger fines for travelers and endanger agriculture, Customs and Border Protection officials said Thursday. The CBP's San Diego Field Office has reported a 158% increase in interceptions of raw eggs illegally brought from Mexico into the United States since the 2024 fiscal year, according to a CBP news release. The unlawful transportation of Mexican eggs into the United States could endanger U.S. agriculture, increase diseases risks and trigger fines for any offenders. "It is critical that we keep our traveling public informed to safeguard out agricultural industry while continuing to facilitate legitimate trade and travel," said Sidney Aki, CBP director of field operations in San Diego. Egg prices have skyrocketed amid the bird flu that has decimated egg-laying populations and forced the deaths of entire flocks in many of the nation's largest egg-producing states. Current wholesale prices for eggs range from about $8 to more than $9 per dozen for large white eggs, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The bird flu outbreak is the worst on record and could be made worse by illegally transporting raw egg from Mexico into the United States. The CBP says travelers must declare all agricultural products when entering the United States and could be fined up to $10,000 if they don't. Travelers are barred from bringing fresh eggs, raw chicken and live birds from Mexico into the United States. The CBP website lists agricultural products that travelers can bring into the nation. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Wednesday announced a five-point plan to combat the bird flu and lower the high price of eggs in the United States. The plan calls for a $1 billion federal investment to counteract the bird flu and stabilize egg prices with the goal of lowering the cost within six months. The bird flu outbreak began in 2022 and has resulted in the deaths of an estimated 166 million chickens, many of which were intentionally killed. The bird flu also has infected nearly 70 people and about 1,000 dairy herds and has claimed at least one person's life.
