Two men were arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Wednesday when U.S. Customs officials found 26 finches smuggled in their socks and hair curlers from Guyana, officials said.

There was no reason immediately given for why Victor Benjamin, 72, and Insaf Ali, 57, allegedly snuck the seed-eating birds into New York. However, a Fish and Wildlife Services official wrote in a criminal complaint that the birds are prized for their singing voices that go feather to feather in public park singing contests throughout New York.

While the winged vocalists can be found in the U.S., those from Guyana are believed to have better singing chops, according to the complaint. The bird crowned competition winner can then be sold for in excess of $5,000.

As for Benjamin and Ali, they were both arraigned and released on $20,000 bail from Brooklyn’s federal court. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison. And the undeclared birds will be singing their way to the United States Department of Agriculture for quarantine. (Brooklyn Today)