SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa port of entry stopped a smuggling attempt after discovering two live toucans wrapped in stockings hidden inside a traveler’s purse.The incident occurred at about 4 p.m., Monday, Dec. 26, when a CBP officer encountered two travelers, a 35-year-old male and a 37-year-old female, in a 2015 Toyota Camry, applying for entry into the U.S. at the Otay Mesa vehicle lanes.The CBP officer referred both travelers and the vehicle for further inspection. During the examination, a CBP agriculture specialist found two live birds, later identified as toucans, wrapped in stockings and concealed inside the traveler’s purse.“Smuggling live animals, especially endangered species, is a serious offense and this signific
