A San Diego man who tried to sneak a dozen orange-fronted parakeets into the country by stuffing them into his boots and a car seat has been sentenced in federal court, after a border stop that left several birds injured and at least two dead. The defendant, 54-year-old Naim Lajud Libien, was arrested last April at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
Birds Found Wrapped in Pantyhose During Secondary Inspection
On April 29, 2025, Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa crossing sent Libien to secondary inspection after they spotted unusual bulges around his ankles, authorities said. A pat-down revealed three birds wrapped in pantyhose in each of his boots. Officers then searched his 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee and found six more birds hidden inside a seat cushion, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California.
Officials Say Some Birds Were Injured or Killed
U.S. Fish and Wildlife inspectors later identified the animals as orange-fronted parakeets. Several showed injuries where their feet had been tied, and at least two were already dead when officers found them. “Smuggling at the border takes many forms, but the tragic impact on animals forced into such perilous conditions is deeply troubling,” U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said in an earlier statement, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California.
Sentence Includes Supervised Release and Restitution
Libien pleaded guilty in federal court and was sentenced Monday. His punishment includes three years of supervised release and an order to pay $2,300 in restitution, according to reporting by City News Service and NBC 7 San Diego. Prosecutors noted that the birds should have been quarantined before entering the United States, a safeguard intended to prevent the spread of diseases such as avian influenza.
Quarantine Rules Aim to Prevent Disease Spread
Federal import rules require pet birds arriving from outside the United States to undergo quarantine and disease testing due to risks such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and psittacosis. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says imported birds typically face a 30-day stay at federal quarantine facilities and must pass health checks before release, according to APHIS.
Border Officials Say Smuggling Patterns Persist
Customs officers at San Diego-area ports of entry say Libien’s case is part of an ongoing pattern. In recent months, they have intercepted several attempts to sneak in birds concealed in boots, vehicle seats, and other hidden compartments, referring suspects to Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In May 2025, officers reported finding six parrots stuffed in a driver’s boots and six more hidden in a vehicle during a separate stop, one in a string of bird seizures in the region, according to CBP San Diego.
Legal Note
Libien was charged under federal importation statutes commonly used in wildlife-trafficking cases. Importation “contrary to law” is prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 545 and can carry significant penalties. The statute and related provisions are set out in the U.S. Code.
