Peru: seizure of thousands of tarantulas intended for trafficking to Germany

Peruvian authorities have seized more than three thousand tarantulas at the airport in the capital Lima about to be illegally transported by plane to Germany, AFP learned Thursday from an official source. Concealed in used socks, the tarantulas were found in three suitcases carried by two German citizens and a Pole, announced the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (Serfor).

The seizure took place during a routine customs inspection. “When we carried out the manual search, we noticed that some (socks) were moving,” said Cora Suárez, a technician at this institution.

Up to 500 euros each in Europe

The specialist indicated that the arachnids, coming from several regions of the country, were some still in the egg state, with young ones up to adult specimens. The spiders were collected by specialist agents in plastic containers, according to a video released by Serfor. The three foreigners were arrested by the police specializing in environmental crimes and are the subject of criminal proceedings conducted by the public prosecutor's office, said the same institution.

Tarantulas can be sold in Europe for around 500 euros each. Due to their high value, illegal wildlife trafficking is a particularly lucrative illicit activity. It generates some $20 billion globally each year, according to Interpol. This trafficking is designated as one of the major causes of the loss of biodiversity on the planet.