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Four men from the Dominican Republic were indicted in Puerto Rico on charges of smuggling wildlife in a case involving more than 100 dead birds, officials said Monday.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC GETS FUNDING TO SAVE RARE BIRD
The men were detained after the U.S. Coast Guard spotted them earlier this month aboard a flagless boat north of Puerto Rico and saw them throw overboard wooden cages holding tropical birds as authorities approached, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
![FILE - In this July 29, 2015 file photo, the Puerto Rican flag flies in front of Puerto Ricos Capitol as in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricos governor is pushing ahead with his top campaign promise of trying to convert the U.S. territory into a state, holding a Sunday June 11, 2017, referendum to let voters send a message to Congress. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo, File)](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2018/09/1200/675/puertoricoflag.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Officials say four men have been indicted in Puerto Rico on charges of smuggling wildlife in a case involving more than 100 dead birds. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)
Some 113 birds were retrieved from the ocean, officials said, adding that the men had traveled to the U.S. territory to smuggle back exotic birds to the neighboring Dominican Republic.
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The suspects appeared in court Monday. A judge ordered three of them held in prison and a fourth under house arrest pending an upcoming trial.
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