Tiger Cub Seized At US-Mexico Border

SAN DIEGO, CA – A man was arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle a Bengal tiger cub into the United States from Mexico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced.

Agents discovered the cub lying on the floor of a 2017 Chevy Camaro during a secondary inspection of the car around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, according to officials. Officers removed the tiger cub from the vehicle and placed it in an animal crate until agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service responded to the border crossing.

"CBP officers are often faced with unusual situations," said Pete Flores, director of field operations for CBP in San Diego. "The CBP officers at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry met the challenge head on and assisted in preserving the life of this endangered species."

Officers arrested the 18-year-old driver. Luis Eudoro Valencia, of Perris, was charged Thursday on suspicion of smuggling a Bengal tiger cub into the U.S., according to the U.S. Attorney's Southern District of California.

Valencia said he purchased the cub for $300 from an individual he encountered walking a full-sized tiger on a leash in Tijuana, according to officials.

Valencia was released on $10,000 bond and ordered to appear in court for a Sept. 5 preliminary hearing.

Officials said the incident is similar to another smuggling case that occurred at the San Ysidro Port of Entry more than 20 years ago. In that case, smugglers attempted to move a tiger cub from California into Mexico. The tiger, later named Blanca, ended up living at the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park for years.

Photos via U.S. Customs and Border Protection