Peruvian police arrested a 28-year-old South Korean man at Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport on November 8 for attempting to smuggle 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes, and nine bullet ants strapped to his body.
Officials grew suspicious of his “bulky” stomach area and discovered insects packed in ziplock bags tied to his abdomen. The man, en route to South Korea via France, is under investigation by Peru’s environmental crimes prosecutor.
The creatures, sourced from the Madre de Dios region, are now with authorities. Wildlife expert Walter Silva emphasized the illegal trade’s devastating impact on species like tarantulas, which are threatened.
Wildlife trafficking is a widespread issue across South America. In Colombia, authorities seized tarantulas, cockroaches, spider eggs, and shark fins in similar cases in 2021.
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