Affidavit: Herbario owner, employee illegally sold hummingbirds
May 12, 2021
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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.
“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,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.