A U.S. citizen living in Tijuana has been indicted on a federal smuggling charge after authorities say he attempted to cross the border with sedated, endangered parakeets concealed in his underwear, as reported by The New York Post.

Jesse Agus Martinez, 35, was taken into custody at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on Oct. 23 after a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer noticed “a bulge in Martinez’s groin area,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.

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CBP officers reviewed prior records and said Martinez had a history of attempting to smuggle birds into the United States.

He was directed to secondary inspection, where authorities said he repeatedly claimed the bulge was his “pirrin,” a Spanish slang term for penis.

However, during a search, a CBP officer allegedly discovered two brown sacks tucked into his underwear. Each sack contained an orange-fronted parakeet, officials said. Both birds appeared unconscious and heavily sedated but were still breathing.

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Agents and inspectors from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified the animals as juvenile orange-fronted parakeets, a protected species native to western Mexico and Costa Rica.

The species has been classified as endangered since 2005. Federal officials said the birds were examined at the border by Veterinary Services before being transported to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine.

Authorities noted that if the parakeets had entered the country undetected, they would have bypassed required quarantine screening for diseases, including avian influenza, which is highly contagious and can be lethal.

According to prosecutors, the birds were placed in safe care and remain in stable condition.

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A federal grand jury indicted Martinez on Friday, charging him with Importation Contrary to Law, an offense that carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the investigation is ongoing and did not announce any additional suspects or related smuggling activity. Authorities also did not disclose the source of the birds or whether Martinez was allegedly transporting them for sale.

The incident is one of many animal-smuggling cases reported at ports of entry in recent years, with CBP officers frequently intercepting protected species concealed in vehicles, baggage or on individuals attempting to cross the U.S.–Mexico border.

Martinez is scheduled for further court proceedings in the Southern District of California.

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