Security officials at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York stopped a passenger trying to smuggle 70 live birds in a carry-on last month.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents caught an unidentified passenger flying from Georgetown, Guyana, to New York. When officials stopped the man after his flight, they found 70 live finches inside hair rollers in a black duffle. The birds were turned over to the United States Department of Veterinary Services.

“CBP Agriculture Specialists are the first line of defense to prevent the introduction of animal diseases that have the potential to cause significant damage to the nation’s agricultural economy,” said Troy Miller, CBP New York field office director.

Officials were worried about the potentially fatal diseases and parasites the birds can carry, which can spread to humans and other animals. One example is the bird flu, which resulted in the culling of 50 million commercial turkeys and chickens in 2015.