Inside Dirty Socks at Peru Airport, Officials Discover 3,000 Tarantulas Smuggled to Germany
Tarantulas found in luggage
The spiders were discovered during a routine customs inspection at Jorge Chávez international airport in Lima. Agents noticed movement inside the suitcases, according to Peru’s National Forestry and Wildlife Service, known as SERFOR.
The tarantulas were concealed in dirty socks inside three suitcases carried by two Germans and one Polish citizen. They came from several regions of Peru and included eggs, hatchlings and adult spiders. “Some were moving, both small and large,” SERFOR wildlife control technician Cora Suarez told Agence France-Presse on Thursday.
Potential value in Europe
The suitcases were bound for Germany. Suarez said an individual tarantula could sell for about €500 ($560) in Europe, putting the possible value of the shipment at €1.5m for one trip.
Police specialising in environmental crimes detained the three Europeans accused of smuggling the animals. SERFOR said they will face criminal proceedings.
Wider trafficking concerns
Interpol estimates illegal wildlife trafficking generates around $20bn worldwide each year. The activity is among the leading causes of biodiversity loss on the planet. The seizure involved animals at multiple stages of development, from eggs and newly hatched spiders to adults, authorities said.
Key points
- More than 3,000 tarantulas were seized at Lima’s Jorge Chávez international airport.
- The spiders were hidden in dirty socks inside three suitcases bound for Germany.
- Two Germans and a Polish citizen were detained and face criminal proceedings.
- SERFOR estimated the shipment could be worth €1.5m in Europe.