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You can hardly call it a smuggling attempt.
The endangered howler monkeys were literally climbing out of the windows of 29-year-old Jesus Arguello Rubio’s vehicle.
A criminal complaint filed against Rubio details how he tried to bring a strange pair of companions to a dinner with his supervisor and coworker in Brownsville.
Instead of dinner, Arguello is now facing federal charges for knowingly and willfully conspiring to aid and abet an attempt to import endangered wildlife into the United States.
The incident happened on Monday at the B&M International Bridge in Brownsville when Arguello, a B1/B2 Visa holder, told U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers that he was on his way to dinner with his supervisor and coworker.
“During the secondary inspection of Arguello Rubio and of the vehicle operated by Arguello Rubio, CBP Officers observed two live monkeys climbing out of the vehicle windows,” the criminal complaint stated. “It was later determined that the monkeys are Howler monkeys, an endangered species.”
Homeland Security Investigations special agents responded to the bridge and interviewed Arguello, who said the truck he was driving belonged to his unidentified employer, according to the complaint.
He told the agents he would meet his supervisor and coworker at a Stripes in Brownsville and either go to the work office or to dinner from that meeting point.
After the interview, he was placed under arrest.
In a news release, acting Port Director of the Brownsville Port of Entry Michael B. Reyes praised the CBP officers for finding the monkeys, which, according to the complaint, made themselves quite visible.
“CBP remains committed to preventing the exploitation of protected animals and the spread of animal diseases,” Reyes said.
The howler monkeys were handed over to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials and will be housed at the Gladys Porter Zoo, according to the news release.
Arguello made a first appearance Wednesday morning in Brownsville federal court in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III.
Following the hearing, he was remanded to custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for next week.
