More than 70 parrots smuggled in plastic bottles

Agency: More than 70 smuggled parrots were found stuffed in plastic bottles on a ship in the eastern region of Papua, Indonesia.

Altogether 64 live parrots and 10 dead birds were stuffed inside the plastic bottles, according to media reports.

The birds are either sold domestically in the avian markets of Indonesia or smuggled abroad.

According to a report prepared by the BBC, the crew suspected that there were animals inside the box as they heard strange noise.

The police have not arrested anyone so far. The seized birds were identified as black-capped lories, a parrot native to New Guinea.

This is a protected species in Indonesia.

In 2017 too, Indonesian police had arrested people who forced 125 exotic birds inside drain pipes.