Vietnamese Man Faces 20 Years in Prison for Smuggling Birds into the US

Mr. Can Thanh Nguyen was convicted of illegally importing and bringing 27 birds from Vietnam into the United States through Los Angeles International Airport.

Chinese Nightingale. Photo: Nancy's Bird Journal

According to OC Register, Mr. Nguyen, 63 years old, in Garden Grove, California, frequently travels between the US and Vietnam.

VOn April 20 last year, he confirmed to US Customs and Border Protection that he was not carrying any animals or wildlife products.

However, through security scanners, authorities discovered 27 birds hidden in cages, wrapped in foil or newspaper, hidden under clothes in Mr. Nguyen’s suitcase. Two of these birds were dead, seven died shortly after.

Eleven of the birds were identified as Chinese nightingales, a species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Mr. Nguyen was convicted on March 31 and now faces 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 27.

In 2010, a Vietnamese man was also caught smuggling 14 Asian birds into the US.

Sony Dong hid the birds in his pants and wore them on his legs. Authorities found feathers falling from his pants and bird droppings on his socks. Dong later admitted to smuggling the birds multiple times and was sentenced to four months in federal prison, and paid $4,000 to authorities to care for the birds.

According to VNE