A California man has been charged in a federal indictment alleging he illegally imported more than 1,700 reptiles — including Yucatan box turtles, baby crocodiles, and Mexican beaded lizards — into the U.S.
Authorities said Jose Manuel Perez, 30, was caught with 60 reptiles — dozens of lizards and four snakes — hidden in his clothes at the U.S.-Mexico border. He was taken into custody on Feb. 25 at the San Ysidro border crossing.
Mr. Perez is charged with one count of conspiracy, nine counts of smuggling goods into the U.S., and two counts of wildlife trafficking.
Mr. Perez‘s sister, Stephany Perez, 25, is also charged with conspiracy.
After initially denying having anything to declare at the border, Mr. Perez told customs officials that “the animals were his pets,” according to the indictment.
“The defendants allegedly advertised for sale on social media the animals smuggled from Mexico into the United States, posting photos and video that depicted the animals being collected from the wild,” the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of California said in a news release.
Authorities said the reptiles were taken to Mr. Perez‘s home in Missouri but were later shipped to California when he moved.
Mr. Perez remains in custody and will be arraigned on Monday in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Ms. Perez will appear for an arraignment in the coming weeks, according to authorities.
Source: https://amp.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/mar/25/california-man-allegedly-imported-thousands-endang/
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