Nine macaw chicks were rescued by inspectors from the National Customs Service south of Iquique. The birds were being transported in the cabin of a truck and were intended to be sold in the central part of the country.
The regional director of the Iquique Customs Office, Dennys Beltrand Santos, said that the procedure took place around noon when inspectors inspected a truck and noticed some kind of packages hidden in the cabin.
“When they opened them, they found two boxes and inside them 9 sleepy macaw birds, apparently drugged. Since they were hidden, the crime of smuggling was immediately established, with the aggravating factor of being birds protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).”
The macaws, all chicks and even one without feathers, were cared for and fed by Customs officials, who hydrated them and ground fruit to feed them. “They arrived in very bad shape and after the first care they recovered. The oldest must be 45 days old and the smallest about 9 days old, because it has just opened its eyes. Most likely they are from the Amazon rainforest,” Beltrand added.
The public prosecutor was notified of the incident and ordered the truck driver to be handed over to the Carabineros and the birds to the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG).
SAG officials went to look for them and confirmed their health, after which they were transferred to Iquique for a veterinary evaluation and to decide their future.
The truck driver who was transporting the birds was warned by Customs for the crime of smuggling and faces jail time and a fine. of up to five times the value of the goods. “That is, the offender will have to face a fine with a minimum amount of $5 million and a maximum of $13,5 million.”
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
