Saturday, December 8, 2012

U.S. Dept. of Ag.: Cuba Considered High Risk Source for High Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Caracas,
Saturday, December 8,2012
Miami Man Guilty of Smuggling Birds from Cuba After 16 "Negritos de Cuba" Found in His Pants.

Alberto Diaz Gonzalez pled guilty to attempting to import undeclared wildlife from Cuba after a total of 16 Cuban bullfinches (Melopyrrha nigra) or “Negritos de Cuba” were found concealed in his pants.

MIAMI -- Alberto Diaz Gonzalez, 76, of Miami, pled guilty today in Miami, for his involvement in an attempt to import undeclared wildlife from Cuba, in violation of the federal anti-smuggling statute, Title 18, United States Code, Section 545, according to Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Resident Agent in Charge David Pharo, United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Alysa Erichs, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, and Vernon Foret, Director of Field Operations, Miami Field Office, Customs and Border Protection.

U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard accepted the plea of guilty and scheduled sentencing for February 25, 2013 at 2:00 pm. At sentencing, Diaz Gonzalez faces a possible maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, to be followed by up to 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
-snip-
Under federal law, all wildlife, including birds, being imported into the United States must, before being released for lawful entry, first be made available for inspection and properly declared to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the United States Customs and Border Protection, pursuant to Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Sections 14.52 and 14.61. Some wildlife is also subject to quarantine before they can be released into the country. The purpose of the quarantine regulations are, in part, to protect both commercial and wild species of avians in the United States from possible exposure to diseases such as Newcastle’s and other maladies against which they would have no natural immunity. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cuba is considered a high-risk source country for high pathogenic avian influenza and exotic Newcastle’s disease.

Full article:  http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=654482&CategoryId=14510 

No comments: