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From songbird to jailbird; feathers in pants were clue
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Published: May 7, 2009
LOS ANGELES - A man has been charged with smuggling songbirds into the United States by hiding more than a dozen of them in custom-tailored leggings during a flight from Vietnam to Los Angeles.
Sony Dong, 46, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in March after an inspector spotted bird feathers and droppings on his socks and tail feathers peeking out from under his pants, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The songbirds sell for $10 to $30 in Vietnam and are sold to collectors in the United States for about $400, said U.S. attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek.
"They're rare, and there are collectors who are willing to pay top dollar for these things," he said of the three red-whiskered bul-buls, four magpie robins and six shama thrush.
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