'Spider smuggler' arrested with hundreds of tarantulas taped to body

by · Mail Online

A man has been caught smuggling hundreds of tarantulas strapped to his body through airport security. 

The unnamed 28-year-old from South Korea was arrested at Lima airport after officers noticed he had a peculiar 'swollen stomach'. 

To their horror, concealed beneath his jumper were 300 tarantulas, around 100 centipedes and nine stinging bullet ants in small plastic bags.

The business of smuggling the eight legged predators is highly lucrative and it largely driven by private souvenir collectors.  

All the creatures have since been handed over to animal protection services, said Pilar Ayala, a biologist from Peru's national forestry and wildlife service. 

Concealed beneath his jumper were 300 tarantulas, around 100 centipedes and nine stinging bullet ants in small plastic bags
He was arrested and the creatures had all been handed over to animal protection services, said Pilar Ayala, a biologist from Peru's national forestry and wildlife service
The business of smuggling the eight legged predators is highly lucrative and it largely driven by private souvenir collectors
An official holds a tarantula that was seized from a South Korean national as he was attempting to smuggle hundreds of tarantulas and centipedes along with bullet ants out of the country

Ms Ayala said: 'It was observed that the citizen had placed these specimens in small zip-lock bags with filter paper. 

'They were placed around his body, contained by two girdles.' 

Expert Alice Hughes, a biology professor at Hong Kong University, told the Telegraph that the collectors are obsessed with the hobby and try to gather as many specimens as possible 'like Pokemon'.

'Tarantulas are especially vulnerable to poaching because they're long-lived - some reach 30 years old - and females reproduce late and infrequently,' Chris Hamilton, a professor of insect studies at Idaho University, told the BBC this week.

'This is terrible for withstanding human disturbance (habitat destruction, pet trade collecting, or climate change) because of how long it takes to regenerate populations,' he added.