Why Are So Many Exotic Birds Being Smuggled Into the United States?

As international air-travel slowly begins to resume, concerns about COVID-19 aren’t the only thing officials are worrying about. There’s also been a noticeable increase in bird-smuggling using inhumane methods. One traveler was recently caught with 35 birds sewn into the lining of his jacket. Customs and Border Protection specialist Ginger Perone told Inside Edition that she recently seized 60 birds that were hidden inside a suitcase. So why are so many being smuggled into the United States?