Stuffing Pants With Songbirds

What do you get if you're caught at LAX smuggling more than a dozen exotic Asian songbirds in your pants? Up to 26 years in prison.

About 7 months ago I remember hearing about this weird news story on KTLA.

In March, Sony Dong, was arrested at LAX trying to smuggle 3 red-whiskered bul-buls, 4 magpie robins and 6 shama thrush from Vietnam.

The really weird thing about this story was where he concealed them. According to the US Attorney's office, he strapped the little birdies around his legs and under his pants!

"He had fashioned these special cloth devices to hold the birds," said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the US attorney. "They were secured by cloth wrappings and attached to his calves with buttons."

Did he muzzle them too? because all I could think was how the heck did they remain quiet all the way from Vietnam to Los Angeles.

Well it wasn't the little chirps that gave him away, but rather the bird droppings and tail feathers sticking to his socks! And oh yeah, I almost forgot, 1 of the birdies peeking out from under his pants.

I'm not kidding.

Can you imagine what the customs agent asked him,

"Ah, sir, why do you sh*t on your socks? and why are features sticking to it? Did the flight serve you a live bird to eat? I guess Tweety didn't settle in your stomach so well (chuckles)?"

Although this story is 7 months old, I mention it again because on Oct 27th the other suspect in this case, Duc Le, stands trial.

As for the 1st suspect, Sony Dong, he pleaded guilty to 1 count of illegally importing exotic wildlife a few weeks ago.

And if you're wondering what happened to the little birdies, they were quarantined. Hopefully donated to a zoo.

Thankfully they didn't get loose at LAX because 1 of the bird species, the bul-buls, are listed as an injurious species, which means they pose a threat to people. Especially if they're coming from South East Asia with the possibility they could have been infected with the avian flu.

Tweet. Tweet. Who's singing the blues now?