Shop owner admits to illegally selling hummingbirds

[douglas9]

LAREDO, Texas – A businesswoman and her employee have admitted they were responsible for selling parts of a protected species, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Cecilia Castaneda, 63, pleaded guilty today, while Maria Luisa Garza-Salazar, 57, entered her plea Jan. 22. The Laredo women admitted to illegally selling hummingbirds. Castaneda owned and operated Herbario Corpus Christi, a business specializing in herbs and spices. Garza-Salazar was her employee.

Both women were charged under the Lacey Act for selling dried or parts of more than 160 hummingbirds. The Lacey Act still protects the migratory birds although they are no longer an endangered species. The law makes it a crime to import, sell, receive or acquire any wildlife which have been possessed, transported or sold in violation of any law.

Dried hummingbirds, or parts of the birds, are illegally packaged and sold commercially as love charms together with prayer cards. The hummingbirds are typically packaged in a paper sleeve and surrounded with red threads or envelopes.



https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/shop-owner-admits-illegally-selling-hummingbirds

[Frustratedlady]

1. Good grief! I've heard it all now! Love charms? Prayer cards with them?

WTH is wrong with people?

[marble falls]

5. Nothing speaks of love more than trapping, murdering, parting out a hummingbird. It's ...

... cultural, I know. But.

[XanaDUer2]

7. that's some crazy shit nt

[ItsjustMe]

2. Religious people

[MontanaMama]

3. Lacey Act violations can bring hefty fines and sentences.

Since this case is in TX, I'm skeptical these women will get the maximum fine/federal sentence.

[douglas9]

4. Affidavit: Herbario owner, employee illegally sold hummingbirds

The owner of Herbario Corpus Christi in Laredo and her employee have admitted to illegally selling hummingbirds, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Cecilia Castañeda, 63, pleaded guilty on Wednesday while her employee, Maria Luisa Garza-Salazar, 57, entered her guilty plea on Jan. 22. Herbario Corpus Christi is a business specializing in herbs and spices.

Both are accused of selling dried or parts of more than 160 hummingbirds under the Lacey Act.

snip>

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents in undercover capacity bought a total of 161 hummingbirds from Garza-Salazar and Castañeda at Herbario Corpus Christi for $3,295, according to the plea agreement.

snip>

In another case, Maria Guadalupe Garcia, 55, owner of Herbario Lupita in Laredo, admitted to selling more than 200 hummingbirds on Oct. 28.


https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Affidavit-Herbario-owner-employee-illegally-16172857.php

[XanaDUer2]

6. I assumed they were alive

[ShazzieB]

8. So did I.

Not sure which is worse. It's appalling either way!